Hacktivists attack govt websites to 'protect' online freedom of expression

A group claiming affiliation with hacktivists attacked early Wednesday several government websites, including that of the Office of the Vice President, supposedly to defend Filipinos' right to freedom of expression online.

PrivateX posted on its social media accounts a list of websites it attacked as of 4:39 a.m.

"You should have expected us!" said the group, which claims to be affiliated with hacktivist group Anonymous.

Visitors to most of the sites in the list were redirected to a web page where the group posted a statement referring to the anti-cybercrime law's provision penalizing online libel.

Other sites were directly defaced with the group's message.

The group said the anti-cybercrime law threatens to kill "the right of the people to freely express their opinion and freedom of speech through the internet."

"We, the citizens of the internet, fight again for this right and for this freedom. We fight not only for ourselves but also for others who stand with us against the Cyber Crime Law — bloggers, gamers or ordinary internet users. This is our way to express and oppose the bill that may destroy the future of the internet in the Philippines," it said.

"We shall stand and fight for the Filipino Netizens' right to freedom of speech and expression. Protect our Right to Freedom of Expression!" it added.

Among the sites the group claimed to have attacked were:

As of 5 a.m., however, some of the sites on the list, including those of NTC and PAPT, appeared normal. — LBG, GMA News