On September 25, 2026, Team n0ct1$ of Saint Mary’s University competed in Hack for Gov 5 at Cagayan State University’s Andrews Campus, showcasing their cybersecurity expertise. The day-long Capture the Flag (CTF) event brought together top student cybersecurity talent from across the region to test their skills against real-world digital security scenarios.

The competition required participants to work through a variety of challenges in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), Web, and Digital Forensics, together with tasks involving Network, Steganography, and Miscellaneous categories. These challenges demanded different approaches, from gathering and verifying information from open sources to examining network traffic, analyzing files, identifying hidden data, and solving web-based problems. 

Team n0ct1$ secured 7th place in the competition, a solid result against a field of strong student teams.

Meet the Team

Representing Saint Mary’s University were:

• John Paul C. Dres (D3M3NTØR), team leader and fourth-year BS Information Technology student
• Ram Anndrhei M. Sison (Kr1v3ith), fourth-year BS Computer Science student
• Zarmin Joshua C. Espinosa (Ph4nt0M), fourth-year BS Information Technology student
• Roi Benzon A. Marticio (KuyaRobs), second-year BS Information Technology student

The team was guided by their coach, Mr. IC Ramzil P. Ruiz.

Through their participation in Hack for Gov 5, the members of n0ct1$ represented Saint Mary’s University in a competitive cybersecurity setting, putting their technical skills to test against fellow student teams from the region.