Crypto loopholes, AI deepfakes pose new threats to PH cybersecurity

The Philippines is grappling with fast-evolving cyber threats as criminals exploit cryptocurrency loopholes, artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes, and the anonymity of the dark web—leaving law enforcement racing to keep pace with global syndicates.

At the Secure Horizons 2025 cybersecurity forum, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Marbil, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) director Police Brigadier General Bernard Yang, and Efren Abantao of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) warned that gaps in funding, research, and legislation have made the country increasingly vulnerable.

Marbil underscored that cyberattacks are relentless, with law enforcement detecting an average of 1,200 incidents daily, ranging from malware and phishing to large-scale fraud.

“Cybercrime kasi, how much money will you invest in cybercrime? Ang problema ng cyber security and cybercrime, it's about funding… We don't have R&D," he said.

(In cybercrime, how much money will you invest in it? The problem with cybersecurity and cybercrime is funding. Our main issue is that we don’t have research and development.) 

One of the biggest blind spots, he said, is cryptocurrency, which enables cross-border money laundering and ransom payments without leaving a clear paper trail.

“You can transfer your money from one place to another because we don't have any laws about cryptocurrency. That's the problem we have."

Abantao echoed this concern, warning that encrypted digital currencies make tracing illicit funds nearly impossible.

“What we’re talking about is digital currency. It’s not tangible. And nobody can trace it if it's encrypted… Who can prevent transmitting digital data if it’s encrypted?”

He stressed that criminals are moving faster than law enforcement, often building their own tools while government agencies struggle with slow procurement systems.

“Napakahirap po… One, yung mga kriminal nakakapag-reveal na sila ng sarili-sarili. Sila ang time of outage sa law enforcement.”

(It’s very difficult… Criminals are already developing their own tools. They are ahead of law enforcement during system outages.) 

Yang, meanwhile, said cybercrime cannot be solved by technology alone—it requires public vigilance.

“It’s a melting pot between cybercrime and cybersecurity… If we have more on cybersecurity, probably we'll have less on cybercrime. The key factor here is awareness.”

Both generals flagged AI-powered deepfakes and the dark web as emerging battlegrounds. Syndicates now peddle illicit services online—from narcotics to falsified identities, posing risks not only to individuals but also to national institutions.

“Dubai, UAE, UK, and AI [are helping us] to combat yung deepfake dark web. Dark web po kasi yung pinag-problema natin… nagre-venta ng coping, nagre-venta ng ecstasy, nagre-venta ng deepfake," Marbil noted.

(Dubai, UAE, UK, and AI are helping us combat the deepfake dark web. The dark web is our biggest problem… it’s being used to sell code, ecstasy, and deepfakes.) 

Despite international support, Marbil admitted the pace of AI-driven threats makes future-proofing difficult.

“Are we prepared for the next century? I guess I don't have any answer right now… I can’t predict how fast AI technology will advance, or how we can secure ourselves now," he said. 

The officials agreed that while the Philippines has made strides in fighting online child exploitation through partnerships with the US, Israel, and the European Union, progress will remain limited unless the country invests more in research, updated cryptocurrency regulations, and public awareness campaigns.

Without these, they warned, the Philippines risks being outpaced by the very criminals it seeks to stop.

The Secure Horizons 2025 forum was hosted by the Cybersecurity Council of the Philippines (CSCP). It was held on Wednesday August 20, at the Manila Ballroom, Marriott Hotel, Newport World Resorts. — BM, GMA Integrated News