THE National Privacy Commission (NPC) yesterday called the Commission on Elections and the Manila Bulletin and its technology editor and IT head Art Samaniego to a clarificatory meeting on January 25 on the newspaper’s recent article on alleged hacking and data breach of the poll body’s servers.
Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga said the NPC received information from Samaniego that about 60 gigabytes of data possibly containing personal and sensitive information were allegedly accessed and downloaded by a certain group of hackers.
Bulletin news report and determine whether (or not) personal data were indeed compromised, particularly personal information, sensitive personal information, or data affecting the same, which were processed in connection with the upcoming 2022 national and local elections. Comelec is also directed to conduct a comprehensive investigation on the matter and submit to the NPC the results thereof no later than Jan. 21, 2022,” Naga said.
The notice to appear for a clarificatory meeting also directs the parties to submit a comprehensive report within 10 days upon receipt.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez, pending official results of an internal probe, said no trace of hacking has yet been found.
“As far as the Comelec is concerned, we are confident that nothing was hacked from our system,” he said. “We see no evidence of breach, so far.”
Jimenez said the poll body is highly confident that its system is well secured because of measures undertaken since the first incident of hacking in the May 2016 polls.
Results of the Comelec probe on the hacking reports are expected this week, Jimenez said on Tuesday.
At the House, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate filed House Resolution No. 2434
seeking an investigation into the alleged breach and hacking, — With Gerard Naval and Wendell Vigilia
