SCUTTLEBUTT

Bigshot shut down

A former high-ranking official is reportedly pulling out all the stops to worm back into the good graces of the current administration.

Sources say this individual is practically on his knees, begging for a return to his old post. It’s in stark contrast to the person’s previous demeanor, marked by arrogance and a sense of entitlement.

“This person is desperate,” a close confidant revealed. “He has been doing everything he can to kiss up to the appointing authority, from the showering of praises to offering unwavering loyalty.”

Unfortunately, the tactics weren’t limited to groveling. There are whispers of this former official coercing the current staff to assist in a comeback bid.

But when faced with resistance, the former high flyer has reportedly lashed out with criticism and accusations, painting those opposing his entry as committing insubordination or inefficient in a classic case of “Do as I say, not as I do.”

“He’s acting like a dictator. He’s always been critical of us, but now he’s on steroids,” a staff member complains.

“He’s been berating his staff for not following his orders, calling them incompetent and weak,” another insider said, adding that this boss has been blaming his employees for his misfortunes in life.

Unfortunately, the appointing authority already knew the mettle of this ex-official, in undertaking the dirty work during his past tenure.

Adding insult to injury, this fallen angel has also embarked on a smear campaign against the former official who appointed him to the post that he now desperately seeks.

It’s a desperate attempt to shift the blame for their downfall and create a narrative that justifies their current behavior. “He forgot where he came from,” another insider shares. “It’s a classic case of biting the hand that feeds you.”

With every desperate move, he’s digging himself deeper into a hole. Will he ever learn his lesson or will he continue to embarrass himself and everyone around him?

Tiziana Celine Piatos

Good-for-nothing hackers

As government agencies, along with other stakeholders, are busy restoring order and rebuilding the lives of those affected by the devastating typhoon “Carina,” malicious actors have seized the opportunity to disrupt the website of yet another state-run agency.

On Saturday night, the Department of Energy (DoE) confirmed that the website of its attached agency, Government Energy Management Program, was “hacked and defaced.”

Being the latest agency that has fallen prey to hacking, the DoE said it has reported the issue to the National Computer Emergency Response Team, an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), as well as the system’s developer.

“We assure you that (we are) committed to keeping its systems secure and will continue to upgrade these systems,” the DoE said.

“While we are exerting all efforts to restore the website to full operation at the soonest possible time, we are also implementing our strategies to make our systems more resilient,” it added.

At the time of publication, the DICT has not yet issued a statement regarding the matter. Early this month, the DICT’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division portal and systems reported a data breach.

After conducting a thorough investigation, officials successfully identified the hacker who breached the database.

The hacker, known by the alias “ph1ns,” is believed to be the same entity who compromised the online systems of both the Philippine National Police and the Maritime Industry Authority.

Maria Romero