UP website hacked by Chinese over Scarborough row?

MANILA, Philippines - University of the Philippines’ administrators took down yesterday the school’s website after it was allegedly hacked by Chinese supporting ownership claims to the Scarborough Shoal.

According to ABS-CBNnews, unknown assailants “uploaded inflammatory content” about the Philippines’ dispute with China over the shoal, called Huangyan Island by the Chinese. 

An image and text on Chinese sovereignty over the shoal were posted on the UP system site’s (http://www.up.edu.ph) front page, the ABS-CBN online news reported.

Attackers posted the text “We come from China! Huangyan Island is Ours!” and showed a map with China-recognized territorial lines.

The UP Computer Center declared that the site had been taken down for “maintenance.” It would also evaluate the university’s website and its content, officials said.

“This website will be restored to its operational status as soon as the maintenance checks have been completed. Thank you,” the notification on the site said.

UP officials have denounced the defacement of the website, the ABS-CBNnews reported.

Also in a press conference yesterday, Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez criticized the defacement of UP’s website, saying it might have been done by “some people who are passionately affected in the discussion.”