In Samar

TACLOBAN CITY — Government troops have killed an alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) and recovered a high-powered firearm following a series of encounters in Samar, the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) reported.

The fatality, identified only as alias ‘John Paul,’ was a member of the Regional Security Force under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

He was killed during a firefight on April 17, 2026, in the hinterlands of Barangay Salvacion, Jiabong, Samar, involving troops from the 46th Infantry Battalion (IB).

Soldiers recovered an M4 Bushmaster rifle at the scene after the encounter.

According to the military, the victim was left behind by fleeing fellow NPA members. His remains were brought to a funeral home in Catbalogan City and are awaiting identification and proper turnover to his family.

The encounter was part of a series of intensified military operations across Samar Island.
Prior to the encounter in Jiabong town, troops from the 19th IB also clashed with another rebel unit in Northern Samar.

On the same day as the Jiabong encounter, government forces discovered a cache of firearms in Sta. Rita, Samar.

The 8ID said the incidents reflect ongoing efforts to weaken insurgent groups operating in Eastern Visayas and reiterated its call for the remaining rebels to surrender and avail themselves of government reintegration programs.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

GCash has blocked over 4,900 fraudulent merchants using “quishing”—a new tactic where scammers use fake QR codes to steal payments.

GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance super app, has intensified its crackdown on illegal merchants, blocking suspicious accounts and scam websites that impersonate official GCash payment pages to defraud users.

With rising transportation costs adding to broader economic pressures, GCash continues to strengthen its anti-fraud efforts as Filipinos become more deliberate with every peso they spend, underscoring the importance of staying vigilant against schemes and safeguarding their hard-earned money.

Recent monitoring has uncovered schemes where fake websites mimic legitimate GCash payment pages and use QRPh codes to collect payments. An example of a growing scam flagged by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is known as “quishing” or QR phishing.
In these schemes, fraudsters exploit QR codes to redirect users to malicious payment pages or steal sensitive information, while misusing official branding to appear credible and deceive users into completing unauthorized transactions.

In some cases, fraudulent QR codes are embedded in posters, emails, receipts, or messages. When scanned, these can redirect users to fake login pages for e-wallets or banks, or even to sites that install harmful software on their devices. As a result, users may unknowingly send money to illegitimate accounts, even if the transaction appears familiar or routine.

Cash reminds users to stay alert for key warning signs before completing any payment:

●Suspicious website URLs that imitate GCash domains (e.g., “gcash-payments.com”, “gcsh.payment.com” instead of the official “payments.gcash.com”)

●Mismatch in merchant identity, especially when the name displayed is random, incomplete, or unrelated to the actual business (e.g., “XJ82q” or “Merchant_123”)

●Payment pages that feel inconsistent or unfamiliar, despite using GCash or QRPh logos
If any of these signs are present, users should stop the transaction immediately.

Proactive enforcement and collaboration

GCash has blocked wallets linked to these activities and escalated fraudulent sites for takedown. The company continues to work closely with government partners to strengthen enforcement and disrupt online fraud.

These efforts build on GCash’s sustained anti-fraud and cybersecurity campaigns such as GSafe Tayo. In 2025, GCash, in collaboration with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), has blocked over 3,200 merchants linked to illicit activities, which are often used as channels for fraudulent transactions and scams.

“By proactively blocking unauthorized actors and reporting them to our regulators and authorities, we are helping protect Filipinos and maintain trust in the country’s digital financial ecosystem,” said Miguel Geronilla, Chief Information Security Officer at GCash.
“Scammers are evolving alongside digital payments,” said Miguel Geronilla, Chief Information Security Officer at GCash. “We have zero tolerance for these actors and are actively blocking and reporting them to protect our users.”

“Protecting users is at the core of our platform,” Geronilla added. “We will continue to strengthen our safeguards and work hand-in-hand with the government to keep the ecosystem safe.”

GCash urges users to verify website URLs and merchant details before completing transactions and to stop immediately if anything appears suspicious.

GCash users can report suspected scams through the GCash Help Center at help.gcash.com by chatting with Gigi and selecting “I want to report a scam”, or by calling the official GCash hotline at 2882.

Users may also report incidents to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group at (02) 8414-1560 / 0998-598-8116 or acg@pnp.gov.ph, and to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) via hotline 1326, mobile 0991-481-4225, or report@cicc.gov.ph.
By staying vigilant and using trusted platforms, Filipinos can better protect their funds and ensure that every peso counts.(PR)