No bail for Romanians in Cebu ATM hacking

Two of the three Romanians being held for planting skimming devices in ATMs of LandBank branches in Cebu City —JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS

CEBU CITY—Three Romanian suspects in the hacking of a government-owned bank’s automated teller machines (ATM) here had been denied bail after charges against them were filed by the city prosecutor’s office.

The hacking led to the theft of funds from accounts in Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) of government employees, policemen, soldiers, prosecutors and a retired judge.

The city prosecutor’s office found sufficient basis to indict Ionut Mitrache, Costel Ion and Razvan Aurelian Stancu on charges of violating Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Since the offense carries a penalty of reclusion perpetua of up to 40 years of imprisonment, the case is nonbailable, said Cebu City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas.

The three accused were also indicted for violating Republic Act No. 8484, or the Access Devices Regulation Act.

While theft is bailable, Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casino, who handles the case, said the offense was deemed severe if done with the use of skimming devices.

Under RA 10175, the use of skimming devices is a nonbailable offense.

At least 50, mostly government officials and employees, claimed to be victims of unauthorized withdrawals from their ATM accounts in LBP branches in the city.

The LBP, official depository of the Philippine government, had started reimbursing clients who lost their deposits to skimmers.

Meinrado Paredes, a retired judge, was the first to claim his reimbursement after LBP fully restored the P100,000 that was stolen from his account through the ATM hacking.

Paredes had submitted an affidavit to the bank to narrate the loss of funds in his account.

Other depositors who fell victim to the series of ATM hacking are also likely to get refunds.

Paredes was among those who filed a complaint against the three Romanians, who were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation after they were tagged as the ones behind the ATM hacking.

The three Romanians were arrested on March 17 after they were recognized as the suspects caught on security camera video installing skimming devices at ATMs of LBP branches here and in other cities in Cebu province.

The NBI secured a copy of footage of security cameras installed near at least three ATM machines of Land Bank in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.