THE National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) has issued an official statement refuting recent claims that “applicants for NBI Clearance between 2016 and 2024 are prone to be victimized by a data breach”, circulating on social media.
The Facebook post by Sass Rogando Sasot, dated January 21, 2025, which has seen thousands of shares, warns the public that personal information submitted for NBI clearances is now in the hands of hackers, potentially exposing individuals to SMS scam fraud.
NBI-Semro Director Archie Albao, who was invited to the celebration of Emperor Naruhito's 65th birthday on February 13 at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City, told VoxPop Davao in an ambush interview that the post was unverified.
“If you say, na-hack ang NBI, it will be hacked nationwide. So far, sa [central office] wala mi ing-ana. Kung na-hack man, mag-announce man mi (If you say the NBI has been hacked, it would mean a nationwide breach. So far, at the [central office], we haven't experienced anything like that. If there was a hack, we would announce it), the official said.
To recall, Sasot, who has more than 300,000 followers on Facebook, suggested that if anyone applied for clearance in 2026, their personal data was already in the hands of hackers and urged people to share this message with their friends, emphasizing that the situation was serious and not a joke.
“I suggest that you go to your cell-co and GET A NEW CELLPHONE NUMBER because it is highly likely that this hack was committed for SMS scam fraud purposes,” she penned.
Sassot also shared an article published by GBHackers News, claiming a massive hacking incident involving the top investigative agency that allegedly exposed the sensitive data of millions of Filipinos.
The article states that a dark web user named "Zodiac Killer" took responsibility for the attack, leaking 3.6 GB of data spanning from 2016 to 2024. It claims that over 45 million records were compromised, including full names, addresses, transaction IDs, contact information, and detailed location data.
“NBI clearance data is widely used for official purposes such as employment, travel, and legal filings, making the leaked information particularly valuable to cybercriminals,” part of the article reads.
“Thus far, the NBI has remained silent, leaving the public questioning when or if an official statement or mitigation plan will be released,” the report added. “This alarming incident is the latest in a string of cyberattacks targeting Philippine government institutions, underscoring persistent vulnerabilities in critical systems”.
Albao clarified that even the NBI headquarters had not received any information or confirmation regarding the alleged data breach. He said that no reports or incidents matching the claims of a massive hacking event have been brought to their attention.
Albao reassured the public that the NBI's security measures remain intact and they would have made an official announcement if such a breach had occurred. DEF