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The Office of the Ombudsman building in Quezon City.
STAR / file
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has launched an investigation into the online disclosure of the identities of prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman, with its anti-cybercrime unit tasked to identify those responsible.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Monday, April 27, that he ordered the Anti-Cybercrime Group to look into the breach and prepare charges against those involved.
“As an agency that is also involved in investigation and intelligence-gathering, we understand how serious this case is since this involves the safety of the concerned individuals,” Nartatez said.
“We will look into this case with urgency and with a commitment to run after all those involved,” he added.
Nartatez said the investigation will cover not only external actors but also possible internal involvement within the Ombudsman.
If warranted, those behind the leak may face charges under the Data Privacy Act and the Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act, he said.
“I assure that appropriate charges will be filed against individuals behind this leak of information. The PNP also assures all government officials and employees that the police force is ready to protect them against all kinds of threats to their security,” Nartatez said.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier condemned the disclosure as a “blatant attempt to intimidate public servants and directly jeopardizes their personal safety.”
It said it is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation and the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group to identify those responsible.
“The Office of the Ombudsman strongly condemns the online disclosure of our investigators’ identities,” it said.
Intimidation tactic
On Sunday, April 26, the Office of the Ombudsman slammed the "malicious online disclosure" of the identities of the investigators of the office.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano claimed the leak is a "blatant attempt to intimidate public servants and directly jeopardizes their personal safety."
"Regarding the recent filings involving high-ranking officials, the public is advised that these actions are part of a deliberate tactical sequence. This specific complaint reached the courts first due to its position in our investigative pipeline, but it is merely a preliminary component of a broader, multi-stage legal strategy," Clavano said in a statement.
"These initial measures are designed to secure the State's interests and prevent the flight of individuals or assets while the universe of cases continue to mature," he added.
