Gatchalian seeks review on bank operations after credit card hack

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday said he would file a resolution seeking an inquiry on bank operations after a hacker was able to access his credit card and purchase P1 million worth of liquor.

“Gagamitin natin itong karanasan natin para maglunsad ng isang inquiry at ang ating layunin naman ay tignan ano po 'yung mga ginagawa ng mga bangko, ano po 'yung ginagawa ng Bangko Sentral. Kasi siya ang regulator ng lahat ng bangko at dapat siguraduhin ng Bangko Sentral na ginagawa ng mga bangko 'yung dapat nilang gawin para maproteksyunan 'yung ating mga consumers,” Gatchalian said in a radio interview.

“Oo, magda-draft tayo ng reso at pagbukas ng Senado ifa-file na natin,” he later added.

The hacker was able to make four transactions with a liquor merchant and had the items delivered through the courier after changing the phone number linked to the senator's credit card.

“Talamak talaga, iba’t-ibang halaga. Minsan may P20,000, may P30,000, may P100,000. Pero ito siguro 'yung pinakamalaki kasi ito one million [pesos] eh. So ito 'yung pinakamalaki sa nakita kong report. Ibig sabihin kung talamak, mas magaling 'yung scammer at hacker sa ganito, mas nalulusutan nila 'yung mga security measures ng bangko. At kaya ang isa pang nasa isip ko, dapat ang mga bangko, galingan nila, i-level up nila 'yung kanilang security protocol para hindi sila malusutan dahil ito, ebidensiya ito na nalusutan sila,” he said.

Gatchalian said the security protocols of banks must be improved to avoid such incidents.

“Binabasa ko nga email at report sa akin. Hindi siya isolated case… talagang matindi ang nangyari sa atin dahil napakalaki ang amount pero ‘di puwedeng sabihin na isolated. Dapat may hakbang na gawin para ‘di na maulit,” he said.

Despite this, Gatchalian said the country had good laws for such incidents.

“Nu'ng binabasa ko 'yung mga emails  at reports ng kababayan natin, hindi siya isolated case eh, ang dami... Ibig sabihin, meron talagang butas at meron talagang dapat ma-improve para hindi na maulit ito. Talagang nakakalungkot lang itong nangyari sa atin dahil napakalaki 'yung amount. Pero hindi puwedeng sabihin na isolated case ito at business as usual. Importante na may hakbang na gagawin para hindi na maulit ito sa ibang mga kasama natin at kababayan natin,” he said.

He added that one thing to improve was the reporting to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the police.

The senator filed an incident report with the NBI. He previously said the incident was subject to further investigation.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian said he would not be paying for the P1 million used in the unauthorized transactions.

“In fairness naman sa bangko, alam nila na nangyayari ito kaya kung mai-report kaagad, hindi naman nila pinipilit 'yung mga consumers magbayad. Pero may mga cases din na nai-report sa akin na 'yung bangko parang sobrang haba ng proseso at 'yung customer, kaysa ma-penalize pa, binabayaran na lang kung konti na lang,” he said.

“Nangyayari talaga ito kaya dapat talagang tignan ito ng mabuti ng Central Bank at 'yung mga bangko dapat pag-aralan nila nang mabuti. 'Yung mga bangko hindi sila puwedeng manahimik lang. Dapat meron silang mas mahigpit na security protocol dahil itong mga manloloko ay naghahanap lagi ng paraan para malusutan itong mga bagong protocol,” he added. — DVM/KG, GMA News