According to Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr, the previous contractor reportedly “made off” with DFA data leaving the department the onerous task of “rebuilding” the data base. One can interpret “made off” with having physically taking the data away from DFA premises much the same way that a burglar will have made off with a TV.
But this is data we are talking about. To “make off” with data leaving the DFA empty-handed could mean one of two things:
(1) the perpetrator copied the data then deleted the source of said copy; or,
(2) the DFA, to begin with, did not keep a copy of the data as the perpetrator worked on it.
Which one is it?
Either way, both involve responsibilities for data security that fall squarely within the remit of the DFA to assure whilst a contractor worked on its systems.