THE hacktivist group Anonymous PH is suspected to be behind the violence that marred a mass protest action against corruption in Manila last Sunday, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said yesterday.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, however, said initial investigations point to a former Manila politician and a lawyer as having funded the protesters who figured in a violent confrontation with the police.
He also said those involved in the violent confrontation have been “manipulated.”
“They are not from here. A former politician organized them, with a Filipino-Chinese as a funder. There is a lawyer who is also a funder,” he said in Filipino, adding some of those arrested were from Taguig, Pasay, Parañaque, Quezon City, and Caloocan cities, and even as far as Cavite.
Moreno did not provide additional details such as the identities of the “initiators or instigators,” saying investigations are ongoing.
He also said he would defer to the police on the criminal probe regarding claims that there was a certain rapper who instigated the riot.
He asked the parents of the arrested minors to cooperate with authorities and convince their children to name those behind the riot.
Communications Secretary Henry Aguda, in a press briefing in Malacañang, said intelligence information showed there have been online discussions last week about a “black mask march” and invitations to join the rally, among members of the Anonymous PH.
He said he has coordinated with members of Anonymous.
“Hindi pa po sila nagdi-disavow kung sila nga o hindi sila iyong gumawa nito pero may mga persons of interest na po tayo na minamatyagan (They haven’t disavowed yet, whether or not they did this, but we already have persons of interest that we’re monitoring),” he Aguda.
“They are the ones who started the call to wear black masks and clothes, which is being supported by several personalities and groups on social media. We are also contacting social media platforms for this with these personalities),” he also said, in Filipino.
Aguda declined to provide details on the persons under investigation.
“Our intel is pointing to that organization (Anonymous Ph), it’s a collective, so it’s not one person, not one organization but we have, as I’ve said, some persons of interest already,” he added.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said among those probers are trying to identify are owners and operators of websites used by the rioters to communicate.
CYBER-ATTACKS
Aguda said that apart from the physical rally, there have been reports of planned attacks on government websites, which prompted the activation of the Oplan Cyber Dome, or a whole-of-country approach to cybersecurity.
Aguda said preparations to fortify various websites started last week.
“There is close coordination with law enforcement agencies for rapid response to any online-to-ground threats,” he said in Filipino.
Aguda said 19 government websites – four national government and 15 from local governments — have been defaced during Sunday’s anti-corruption protest rally but the agencies managed to act swiftly and prevented any significant disruption to public services.
Among those attacked were platforms of the DICT itself, the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Bureau of Customs and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).
Aguda said the defacement had “inconsequential” effect, saying that the 19 sites represent only a small fraction of the nearly 60,000 government websites and digital platforms in the country.
He also said there have been around 1.4 million attempts to breach different websites, but only 19 succeeded, and this was immediately addressed.
He also said there was no data exfiltration or loss of personal information.
TERRORISM
PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., in the same briefing, said probers are determining if what transpired in Manila could be considered as an act of terrorism.
‘’It will be the result of the continuing investigation as we look at the evidence. So, that’s why maybe it can lead to terrorism or violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act,’’ Nartatez said in mixed English and Filipino.
Remulla said a “local terrorist group” wanted to sabotage the September 21 rallies.
However, the “threat of the terrorist was more of a bomb that would go off in Luneta or in the People Power Monument,” which did not transpire.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said the involvement of youngsters in the violence “is a national security issue.”
“Wherever they (youngsters) are learning this from should be identified and addressed,” he said in an interview with the radio dzRH.
“What we saw is hooliganism already and there were minors who joined. To me, this is disturbing,” he also said, adding there are unvalidated reports that some of the violence perpetrators used illegal drugs.
Teodoro surmised some people were influencing the perpetrators noting the flag, with an image of human skull, they were carrying during the protest.
“We need to identify those who were influencing them, who are motivating them and whose giving illegal drugs to these youngsters. they should be punished severely,” said Teodoro.
Meanwhile, Cardinal Pablo David, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), objected to the call of celebrity Vice Ganda, during the Sunday protest march, to impose the death penalty on those stealing public funds.
“I understand the outrage and the demand for serious accountability. But the Church (is opposed) to capital punishment,” he said.
“The answer to corruption cannot be more death, but a deeper reform of justice one that protects the poor and holds the powerful accountable,” he added.
David also said the Catholic Church is ready to aid witnesses and whistleblowers in flood control anomalies.
“If they need the protection of the Church, those who want to speak the truth—but only the truth, we will open our churches as sanctuary,” he said. – With Victor Reyes and Gerard Naval
