Secret hand signal seen on GMA’s 24 Oras amid NICA warning on Chinese APT cyber threats

• A screenshot taken from a video aired on GMA’s flagship newscast, 24 Oras.

By TechWatch PH Staff

In the November 26, 2024, edition of GMA’s flagship newscast 24 Oras, a Senate hearing on Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo carried an unusual scene: a secret hand signal captured on national television while a senior intelligence official was delivering his statement.

The incident occurred as Ashley Acedillo, Deputy Director-General of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), was testifying about the issue involving Alice Guo. Acedillo also talked about Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups targeting the Philippines.

While Acedillo spoke, the 24 Oras television camera showed a person seated at the back, discreetly moving his left hand, which rested on his lap, while keeping his face hidden from view.

Although the gestures were subtle, hand sign experts later said that, while not sure, the sequence appeared to resemble the letters “A,” “P,” and “T,” followed by an extended middle finger, and then the letter “U.” Viewers quickly interpreted the movements as spelling out the phrase “APT f* you.”

The footage was recently shared online, fueling speculation about whether it was an act of protest, a coded message, or a prank carried out in full public view of a nationally televised hearing.

The phrase “APT” is widely used in cybersecurity to describe Advanced Persistent Threats, often linked to state-sponsored or organized hacking groups. Acedillo, in his statement, was warning lawmakers about the activities of Chinese APT groups conducting cyberattacks against Philippine government and private sector systems.

The timing of the covert hand signal did not escape observers. The phrase, interpreted as “APT f* you,” was signed before NICA’s Ashley Acedillo gave a warning to the Senate about the dangers of Chinese APT groups attacking Philippine systems.

For many, the incident demonstrates a jarring irony. It’s a message mocking or dismissing “APT” that was broadcast on national television precisely as lawmakers were hearing intelligence warnings about those very groups.

Whether the gesture was intended as a protest, a taunt, or simply an inside prank remains unclear. But its timing ensured that the moment would spark broader debate, adding a strange twist to contentious cybersecurity threats in the country.

We asked Acedillo for comment, but did not receive a response as of the time of this posting.