MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that while bank deposits remain confidential, certain information may be disclosed under the Cybercrime Prevention Act for legitimate investigations, the court said.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, the SC’s First Division denied the petition filed by EastWest Rural Bank (EastWest), which sought to block court and police orders requiring the bank to provide computer data in a cybercrime probe.

The case stemmed from a complaint by Leonard Vendiola, who was scammed by a caller impersonating a bank employee. The caller obtained Vendiola’s email and one-time password, transferring PHP 10,000 from his account to an EastWest account.

The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) sought a Warrant to Disclose Computer Data to identify the EastWest account holder involved. The Regional Trial Court granted the warrant, allowing the PNP-ACG to compel EastWest to preserve and disclose the relevant data.

EastWest argued that the Bank Secrecy Law prohibits disclosure of deposit information and that the Cybercrime Prevention Act does not apply to financial institutions.

The SC rejected these arguments, ruling that the Warrant to Disclose Computer Data and the accompanying Disclosure Order are valid.

The Court clarified that while the Bank Secrecy Law protects bank deposit confidentiality, it does not bar the disclosure of basic identifying information when permitted by law. Under the Cybercrime Prevention Act, law enforcement agencies may obtain computer data through a court-issued warrant to investigate cybercrime offenses.

The SC also held that EastWest qualifies as a service provider under the Cybercrime law because its digital banking services—including online platforms, mobile applications, and automated notifications—enable customers to communicate and transact through computer systems. As a financial institution processing and storing substantial computer data, EastWest falls within the law’s scope for disclosure when authorized by a court.