Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 19) — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said he wants to recruit more cyber security experts to set up a ‘cyber command,’ which will ensure the safety and security of AFP’s entire cyber network.
“The Cyber Command will have the whole archipelago as its territory because it will defend the cyber networks of the AFP, not the entire country,” Brawner said in a media forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP).“We are envisioning to add more equipment, more facilities to the cyber command,” he also said. “It will also provide command and control over all the cyber units we have in the AFP.Brawner said the AFP will recruit “cyber warriors” — a re-envisioned squad of soldiers who may not necessarily excel in physical capabilities but in their knowledge of cyber defense.Following the spate of cyber incidents on government agencies, Brawner said the AFP is also being targeted by these attacks which he believes to be a combination of foreign and local hackers.“You know we experience this almost everyday,” he said. “We’re happy to note, so far, hindi naman naging successful [they’re not successful].Brawner also confirmed that AFP data hacked from its system in 2021 are still circulating on the dark web. The military chief, however, assured there is no reason to be alarmed.“Not personal files, these are office files, routinary documents,” he disclosed. “When we went over it, they’re really not that sensitive.The AFP chief said cyberspace is becoming increasingly challenging as the military navigates maritime and air domains, especially in the West Philippine Sea.
