AUTHORITIES have arrested three hackers who claim to have breached the Smartmatic system and the website of government agencies and can allegedly manipulate the result of the May 9 national and local elections in exchange for a substantial amount of cash.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) identified the suspects, who are all members of the “XSOX Group,” as Jeffrey Cruz Limpiado, the alleged group leader, Joel Adajar Ilagan, and Adrian de Jesus Martinez.
The three were arrested in separate entrapment operations in Imus, Cavite and Sta Rosa, Laguna last Saturday afternoon.
Mancao said the suspects are associated with former Smartmatic employee Ricardo Argana who initially surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and later went into hiding after hacking into the Smartmatic system several months ago.
The three suspects were accosted after they received P10 million in boodle money from government operatives who posed as representatives of a candidate who supposedly wants to win in the elections. The amount was meant as a downpayment for the P60 million fee that the group allegedly demanded.
CICC executive director Cesar Mancao said the suspects have been claiming in the dark web that they can manipulate the result of the elections and can ensure the victory of candidates in the elections in exchange for a substantial amount of money.
Mancao said the suspects have also bragged that they have been able to hack the systems of Smartmatic and the website of the Commission on Elections.
CICC operatives monitored suspects’ posts, contacted the group, and pretended to representatives of a candidate. Before the payment was made, Mancao said CICC operatives met with the suspects in posh hotels in Metro Manila.
“They (operatives) claim they know a politician who agrees with the scheme. They did not give any name or office. They agreed on the amount (P60 million) and later the downpayment was made,” he said.
Mancao said the suspects claim to have also approached several candidates in the provincial level but did not give names. He did not give additional details.
“It’s true they were able to access the Smartmatic system but it’s limited to the preparations (for the elections). They were not able to get data on the actual election,” said Mancao, adding: “It’s really hard to access the system of Smartmatic. It has many firewalls and multi-level checking.”
“This a group that is persistently visible on the dark web. They have been boasting that they can (manipulate the elections). But they are just deceiving people, they cannot do that (manipulate the elections). They don’t have the access,” Mancao said.
“We have an assurance from a representative of the Comelec that they have a sound firewall, security protocols,” he added.
ACG director Brig. Gen. Robert Rodriguez said it is “really very difficult to access the system (of Smartmatic and Comelec).”
“I am assuring the public that the system is foolproof. It cannot be hacked easily. That is the assurance we can give to the public,” said Rodriguez.
