COMELEC website hacker Jonel de Asis, who was arrested Thursday night, is now under the custody of National Bureau of Investigation.
(UNTV News)
PASAY CITY, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested the second hacker suspected of intruding into the Commision on Elections’ (COMELEC) website which resulted in the leakage of sensitive information belonging to registered voters.
The second hacker suspected of sabotaging COMELEC website last month is now under NBI’s custody.
NBI identified the suspect as Jonel de Asis, 23, an Information Technology (I.T.) graduate from Technological University of the Philippines (TUP).
He was arrested in his house in Muntinlupa City last night based on a search warrant implemented by the NBI.
A laptop containing 340 gigabytes of data stolen from the COMELEC website was recovered from his possession.
NBI says, de Asis admitted to being “Lulzec” and having uploaded the stolen data to internet.
“Our forensic examination is ongoing but we have seen links to the information taken from the COMELEC,” states Deputy Chief Vic Lorenzo of NBI Cybercrime Division.
Another suspect, I.T. graduate Paul Biteng, was arrested by the NBI last week.
The two are considered the principal suspects in the hacking incident.
“We want to thank NBI for the arrest of the second hacker and this hacker is the one who leaked the COMELEC data,” COMELEC Chairman Atty. Andres Bautista expresses.
The suspects said they only wanted to show that the COMELEC website is vulnerable but the NBI is looking into the possibility that they sold the stolen data.
The National Privacy Commission is now also investigating the incident to determine the extent of the data leak and to guide Filipinos from falling victims to identity theft.
“We treat this very seriously because it involves personal information of many Filipinos. In all indications, this is a large-scale incident and we are taking this very seriously with COMELEC,” says Sec. Raymond Liboro, Chairman of National Privacy Commission.
NBI warned that those who will use the stolen data from COMELEC will be prosecuted.
“Certainly, we will be able to identify you sooner or later. So, avoid being the subject of the follow up operations of NBI,” warns NBI Director Atty. Virgilio Mendez.
De Asis will be charged for violations of Anti-Cybercrime Law while authorities are still running after the third suspect.
(RODERIC MENDOZA/UNTV News)
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