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5 Chinese nabbed for 'spying' on Navy, Coast Guard in Palawan


Chinese suspected spies Philippine Navy Palawan

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday announced the arrest of five Chinese citizens for allegedly spying on Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard assets in Palawan.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said some members of the group were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after coming back from Palawan, where they allegedly conducted aerial surveillance.

Two suspects were arrested at the NAIA on Jan. 24, one in Binondo, and another in Intramuros on Jan. 25. The alleged leader was arrested on Jan, 25 in Dumaguete where he lived with his wife.

The NBI said those arrested were a field commander, two intelligence operatives, a financier, and a member.

“Ang kinukunan ng drone nila ay ‘yang barko natin… pag na-close up ‘yan, makikita natin ‘yan ay isang barko ng Philippine Navy,” Santiago said.

(Their drone was taking pictures of our vessels… If that is zoomed in, you will see a vessel of the Philippine Navy.)

Their arrest came after authorities conducted a follow-up operation following the apprehension of another Chinese and two Filipinos for alleged espionage two weeks ago.

NBI Cybercrime Division chief Jeremy Lotoc said the bureau received information that a group of Chinese were posing as buyers of products in Barangay Buenavista, Puerto Princesa City.

However, he said they were seen frequenting Ulugan Bay in Puerto Princesa.

“And they were conducting aerial surveillance and reconnaissance, collecting imagery intelligence on the Naval Detachment Oyster Bay (NDOB) in Barangay Bahile,” Lotoc said.

“This detachment is part of the Navy’s Naval Forces West or Navforwest and is strategically positioned in the South China Sea,” he added.

Lotoc said the NBI then conducted a validation process and identified the five.

He said they discovered that the group also installed a long-range CCTV at a high-rise condominium.

Lotoc said the agents found a telescope, drones, and communication devices.

"And they are constantly 24/7 monitoring the movement of our Coast Guard and naval assets there,” he said.

Since 2023

Lotoc said authorities found that the group also tried to install a long-range CCTV camera on a beach in Barangay Buenavista, Puerto Princesa City in 2023 to monitor vessels that were entering and leaving the West Philippine Sea. 

“They tried to rent a portion of the beach and tried to install that kind of CCTV on that beach. Kasi nasa harap lang siya mismo, ‘yung beach na nakikita niyo. Wala ho ibang lalabasan ‘yung mga barko natin. Diyan lang,” Lotoc said.

(They tried to rent a portion of the beach and tried to install that kind of CCTV on that beach. Because that’s in the front, the beach that you’re seeing. Our vessels cannot pass anywhere else.)

“Doon ho sila nag attempt to install nung CCTV, ng long-range, high-powered solar version ng CCTV para lahat po na lalabas ng barko patungong West Philippine Sea, mamo-monitor po nila,” he added.

(They attempted to install a CCTV, a long-range and high-powered solar version of the CCTV so that they could monitor all vessels going to the West Philippine Sea.)

In 2024, Lotoc said the group was also monitored at another resort in Buliluyan, Bataraza in Palawan.

He said the group installed a CCTV without the knowledge of the resort owner. Based on the pictures of the NBI, the CCTV equipment was placed on a coconut tree.

“Since then, ‘yung CCTV ho na ‘yan, hindi ho natanggal. In other words, the group is undoubtedly engaged and continuously engaging in data collection and disclosure of that data to outsiders, he said.

Lotoc said this was “definitely to the injury of the Philippines.”

He said that Buliluyan was a strategic location in Palawan.

“The location is within the vicinity of the EDCA site and the Philippine Coast Guard vessels can be monitored from docking to its routine missions in the WPS,” Lotoc said.

State sponsored?

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the AFP still could not say if the group's activities were “state-sponsored spying.”

“Hindi pa po natin alam kung saan, ano ‘yung receiving end. That is why we cannot yet conclude that” he said.

(We don’t know what the receiving end is. That is why we cannot yet conclude that.)

Brawner confirmed that this group was connected to the first three individuals–the Chinese and two Filipinos–who were arrested two weeks ago.

He said this may be the “tip of the iceberg.” 

“Marami pa ho tayong pwedeng mahuli na ganitong mga activities, and we are in the process of also building up the intelligence against these other activities,” Brawner said. 

(We may find more of these activities, and we are in the process of also building up the intelligence against these other activities.)

Embedded

Lotoc said the group would befriend and earn the trust of individuals with valuable information.

“They would disguise themselves as harmless or members of a legitimate organization. They would establish contact with individuals who have access to valuable information without revealing their real identity,” Lotoc said.

“So from there the target’s trust could be exploited,” he added.

Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval, the arrested individuals have “embedded” themselves into society.

She said some had been working in the country with visas while others already had families. 

“The earliest record that we have sa kanila was 2002 na nagpapabalik-balik na dito with perfect record. Maganda ang kanilang record, which I think is something they would do to hide the fact that they might be doing something apart from what they’re supposed to do,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lotoc said the suspects underwent inquest proceedings before the Office of the State Prosecutor for violation of Commonwealth Act No. 616 Section 1(a) and 2(b) in relation to RA 10175 the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. –NB, GMA Integrated News

Tags: espionage, nbi, afp
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