The Baguio City Council raised alarm over increasingly sophisticated online scams victimizing residents and tourists. The local lawmakers cited schemes involving fake prosecutors, fraudulent booking accounts, loan applications, spoofed bank messages, AI-generated impersonation, and unauthorized electronic money transfers.
During the City Council’s regular session on August 24, 2026, invited representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology-Cordillera (DICT-CAR) and the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit-Cordillera (RACU-CAR) briefed the body on the city’s cybersecurity situation and the agencies’ efforts to address cybercrime.
Councilor Edison Bilog raised concerns over online lending applications whose collectors allegedly resort to harassment, including sending insulting messages and posting borrowers’ photos and accusations on Facebook.
DICT Assistant Regional Director Allan Lao said the regional office is limited mainly to cybersecurity awareness and literacy campaigns, while complaints requiring investigation are referred to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) which operates the 24/7 hotline 1326.
RACU-CAR Team Leader PMaj. Annika Mae Comising said online lending applications are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where complainants can lodge reports against lending companies. She said the PNP’s cybercrime unit also faces difficulty tracing perpetrators when scammers use unregistered SIM cards, dummy accounts, or other means to conceal their identities.
Bilog also raised reports of scammers posing as prosecutors and contacting relatives of persons facing drug cases. The scammers allegedly use information about the cases and the relatives’ contact numbers before demanding GCash payments on the pretext that they could arrange the dismissal of a case or the release of an accused.
Comising said RACU has investigated similar incidents including a case involving a person who allegedly posed as a prosecutor. She explained that investigators may seek a court warrant to disclose computer data which can compel a service provider such as GCash to provide information that could establish the identity of the recipient of the money.
Bilog questioned whether the source of the relatives’ personal information could also be investigated, particularly when the information appears to have been obtained following police operations. RACU officials said the PNP has since strengthened measures requiring personnel to verify requests for private information.
Meanwhile, Councilor Yuri K. Weygan raised concerns over fake online booking schemes which continue to affect tourists and residents in Baguio. Comising said the cybercrime unit coordinates with the Baguio City Police Office and Tourist Police Office in responding to such complaints and noted that these scams tend to peak during Panagbenga and long weekends.
Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda brought up another emerging scheme involving artificial intelligence, citing a case in which a senior citizen allegedly received a manipulated or AI-generated image of a relative supposedly asking for money because of an illness. The victim sent money before discovering that the relative had not actually made the request.
Tabanda said the incidents showed the need for government agencies to expand their cybersecurity information campaigns, particularly among vulnerable sectors.
Lao said DICT conducts cybersecurity literacy and training through its training arm and invited sectors that need specialized awareness sessions to coordinate with the agency. He said its training facility at the DTC near the Post Office can accommodate about 25 participants and already conducts regular training activities.
DICT Cyber Security Program Management head Dan Vincent Bueno said many cybercrime incidents continue to exploit weaknesses in people’s “cyber hygiene,” particularly when users fail to verify the identity of people asking for money or click on suspicious links despite previous warnings.
Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President John Rhey Mananeng also questioned the effectiveness of SIM Registration under the SIM Registration Act (Republic Act No. 11934), noting that scammers continue to use phone numbers that are difficult to trace. Lao acknowledged gaps in the existing system, explaining that telecommunications companies maintain the registration databases while DICT does not have direct access to those records.
Lao also warned about spoofing and IMSI catcher technology which can make fraudulent communications appear to originate from legitimate sources. He said technological developments including the use of readily accessible cloud-based tools and AI are advancing so rapidly that existing laws and policies can struggle to keep pace.
Meanwhile, Councilor Jose Molintas raised concerns over fake text messages appearing to come from banks and other legitimate institutions. He said recipients can be deceived because the messages appear to use familiar sender information and instruct them to renew an account or registration.
Lao said spoofing has made it unsafe to assume that a message is legitimate simply because it appears to come from a familiar number. He advised residents to verify suspicious messages and report cybersecurity incidents to the CICC through hotline 1326.
Molintas also asked about remedies for victims who have already transferred money to scammers through GCash, Maya, or online banking. Comising said investigators can seek a court warrant to disclose computer data from financial institutions and service providers to identify the recipient of the funds.
Comising also cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ online complaint mechanism which can notify the concerned bank or financial institution about a reported transaction.
The City Council also discussed scams and other criminal activities occurring on platforms beyond Facebook. Mananeng urged cybercrime authorities to strengthen their capacity to monitor emerging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp, noting reports of alleged illegal transactions being conducted through these applications.
Molintas further called for stronger community reporting mechanisms for suspected cybersex and human trafficking activities. Comising said reliable information from informants can help investigators establish the basis for securing search warrants, while stressing the importance of encouraging witnesses to report to law enforcement agencies.
Molintas proposed that the City Council consider legislation providing support for cybercrime informants, similar to existing mechanisms for drug-related cases. He also urged DICT and RACU to submit concrete legislative recommendations that could help address gaps in existing laws and regulations.
Councilor Vladimir Cayabas stressed the need for the City Government to strengthen the protection of personal information collected through its applications and other government services. He also suggested that RACU consider joining the city’s ICT Council to strengthen coordination on cybersecurity matters.
The City Council encouraged the invited agencies to submit proposals for ordinances, resolutions, or policies that could help strengthen Baguio’s cybersecurity defenses and support the agencies in addressing emerging cybercrime threats. **Jordan G. Habbiling
