MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Sunday said it is readying the subpoena for Manila Bulletin tech editor Art Samaniego for allegedly masterminding the recent hacking incidents involving private companies and government websites. 

Speaking on TeleRadyo Serbisyo, NBI deputy spokesperson Sean Michael Dangilan, a lawyer, said the subpoena was based on the extrajudicial confession of the arrested suspect, an IT officer of the media outlet, who said he hacked the websites under the instruction of Samaniego. 

"So now we are in the process of readying what needs to be prepared and also for him to answer the allegations against him," Dangilan said partly in Filipino.

READ: IT officer arrested for allegedly hacking gov’t, bank websites

Dangilan said the purpose of the subpoena was to investigate the allegations against Samaniego, whom he urged to personally show up at the NBI to explain his side.

On Friday, authorities arrested an IT officer of Manila Bulletin who allegedly hacked the websites of the military, National Security Council, and several banks.

The suspect claimed he hacked some of the websites under the instruction of Samaniego so that he could allegedly use them as content for his column and social media platforms.

Samaniego, who is also the Senior Technology Officer of Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp., has denied the allegations against him.

He said he has been a long-time partner of government agencies in cybersecurity.

Manila Bulletin meanwhile said it "has always adhered to the laws of the land and requires its employees to be law-abiding."

"We expect our employees to be accorded their rights. We assure the public of Manila Bulletin’s utmost fidelity to the laws of the land," it also said.

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