30-3-2024 (MANILA) The official Facebook page of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) fell victim to a hacking incident on Good Friday, according to Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, the spokesperson for the PCG. In a Viber message sent to ABS-CBN News, Rear Admiral Balilo confirmed that their page had been hacked, acknowledging the breach.
The hacking incident became apparent to netizens when two videos with violent content were posted on the PCG page at approximately 1 p.m. on Friday. The PCG promptly issued a statement, revealing that an “unknown entity” had managed to gain unauthorized access to their Facebook page around 12:30 p.m. that afternoon.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the PCG has taken immediate action by collaborating with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Together, they will engage in backend operations and evaluate the extent of the security breach.
As news of the hacking spread, netizens expressed a range of reactions to the posted videos. By 4 p.m., the videos had amassed over a hundred comments, with the majority of users asserting that the page had indeed been hacked.
Regrettably, this is not the first time the PCG’s Facebook page has fallen victim to a hacking incident this year. In February, during a strategic communication plan workshop conducted by the Coast Guard Public Affairs (CGPAS), the page was also hacked. During that incident, hackers uploaded two malicious short videos that resembled the ones shared on the page during the recent hacking.
Moreover, it is worth noting that the PCG’s website was among several government websites that experienced hacking in February. The cyberattack was ultimately traced back to a telecom company based in China, raising concerns about the security of online platforms and systems within the Philippines.
