MANILA, (PIA) -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said it has fully regained control of its official Facebook page after hackers took over the account earlier this week.

It was the third cyberattack this year against the agency tasked with maritime law enforcement. The hackers had uploaded foreign movies and TV shows on the account as recently as Wednesday.

In a statement, PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said collaboration between its own cybercrime unit and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) allowed them to remove three hackers who had breached the page's security through malware on Monday.

The government's Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center identified the hackers as Fatima Hasan, Murat Kansu and Vicky Bates, based on their Facebook profiles.

The PCG said a "comprehensive hardware check" is scheduled Friday for all laptops and computers used by its public affairs staff. The goal is to detect and eliminate any lingering malware and fortify overall cybersecurity for its social media presence.

PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan, met with DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy, who volunteered to assist the PCG in resolving the issue immediately.

CG Admiral Gavan thanked Uy for supporting the Coast Guard Public Affairs Service (CGPAS) toward the full recovery of its official Facebook page and its unwavering commitment to strengthening the PCG's online security.

Earlier hacking incidents were reported in January and February, highlighting vulnerabilities that threaten sensitive information and public trust.

Maritime agencies around the world have faced cyberattack risks in recent years. Hackers may seek access to internal data or aim to undermine public confidence by defacing sites. Securing government web platforms and accounts is crucial, experts say. (PIA-NCR)