In Las Piñas, Philippines, authorities arrested Edgar Silvano Jr., a man previously recognized as “Asia’s best hacker,” for engaging in illegal online activities targeting foreigners, as reported by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) yesterday.
According to NCRPO report accessed by The STAR, operatives executed a search at Silvano’s residence in Barangay Talon Dos around 2 p.m. on Friday. The operation was carried out under a search warrant issued by Judge Elizabeth Yu Guray from the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 202.
During the search, law enforcement recovered various items from Silvano’s possession, including 11 cell phones, seven flash drives, five laptops, four SD cards, three Wi-Fi routers, two hard drives, a desktop computer, and a modem. Additionally, police confiscated financial documents related to land titles and vehicle purchases, containing personal and bank account information of others.
Silvano faces charges under Republic Act 8484, also known as the Access Device Regulations Act of 2012. Moreover, he is accused of violating RA 10591, which addresses the illegal possession of firearms, as a 9mm pistol with nine bullets was found in his possession.
According to the NCRPO, Silvano gained notoriety as “Asia’s best hacker” in 2001 when he successfully hacked an international banking system based in Hong Kong. Subsequently, he was imprisoned but later released on probation. In 2016, Silvano faced another arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation for violating RA 8484 and illegal drug possession.
All seized electronic devices will undergo data extraction and forensic examination, as stated by the NCRPO. Marie Joy Espano, identified as Silvano’s alleged accomplice, was also arrested for obstruction of justice after reportedly providing false information to the police.
