The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) warned the public to be cautious about the online personalities they follow, saying some influencers with large followings are endorsing gambling websites that may not be legally authorized in the Philippines.
Two senators have raised concerns over law enforcement’s ability to curb illegal online gambling, questioning the use of intelligence funds by the Philippine National Police (PNP) amid reports that e-sabong operations continue despite a nationwide ban.
Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso has formally assumed office as executive director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), while the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) also welcomed Julius Gorospe as its new undersecretary for cybersecurity, following separate oath-taking ceremonies on Feb. 2, 2026.
Grok has been under international scrutiny since early January after the system itself acknowledged that it was being exploited to generate malicious content involving real individuals, including celebrities and politicians.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has launched ScamSafe, a new public reporting and information platform, as authorities warn that scammers remain active despite a year-on-year decline in reported online fraud cases.
Data from the DICT showed that the most common cybercrimes recorded in the country were online libel, illegal access, and computer-related identity theft.
Included in the roster of social media influencers and online entities allegedly involved in promoting unlicensed online gambling platforms are Whamos Cruz, Toni Fowler, and Boy Tapang.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has officially concluded that no data breach occurred in the systems of G-Xchange Inc. (GXI), the operator of GCash, following a thorough technical investigation into reports of a massive data leak allegedly involving millions of user accounts.
In its latest report, the CICC’s Threat Monitoring Center (TMC) identified 1,007 unauthorized gambling sites operating without accreditation from Pagcor. At least 146 of these were linked to illegal online sabong, which remains banned by the government.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) are intensifying efforts against the sale of prohibited products on online marketplaces and social media platforms.
