Police on Monday arrested five Korean nationals and four Filipinos for their alleged involvement in fraudulent schemes through hacking and phishing in Angeles City, Pampanga.

General Debold Sinas, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, said the arrest of the nine suspects stemmed from three separate search warrants for violation of the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998.

“The PNP has made significant gains in thwarting cyber offenders, especially the transnational organized criminal groups, from making the Philippines a sanctuary for their criminal operations,” Sinas said.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Lee Sungbo, Lee Jaehun and Song Gilsung in Barangay Amsic in Angeles City, Pampanga and prior to the implementation of the search warrant, service firearms of their security guards were temporarily seized.

Meanwhile, Yoensu Yoon, Junguk Lee, Alyssa Lee, Maiko Natividad, and John Patrick Gonzales were arrested in Barangay Malabanias.

Recovered from the suspects were assorted SIM cards, cell phones, laptops, bank cards, computer accessories, and other paraphernalia used for phishing.

“The arrested persons are engaged in fraudulent activities through hacking and phishing, victimizing mostly Korean Nationals and US Citizens who are widely known as online banking (and) transaction users,” Sinas said.

“These schemes which constitute economic sabotage are one of the national security concerns of the PNP CIDG. These suspects have allegedly amassed multi million pesos from illicit activities exploiting technology advances,” he added.

The arrested suspects were brought to CIDG Angeles CFU for documentation and temporary custody prior to the filing of the criminal charges in court. Ella Dionisio/DMS