President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has shared his worries over the capture of five Chinese spies in the Philippines. The police stated that the suspects were conducting surveillance on the military operations in Palawan.
During a press conference on Friday, Marcos said the government is expanding its investigation. He confirmed that authorities are trying to nab more possible “sleepers” or sleeper agents, operating within the country.
“That’s why we arrested them. We are, of course, very disturbed by anyone carrying out such espionage activities against our military,” Marcos said after attending an event in Pasay City.
Arrests in Multiple Locations
The NBI arrested the suspects in different operations from January 24 to 25. Two were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the others in Binondo, Intramuros and Dumaguete.
The NBI said the suspects used high-tech gadgets, including drones, to monitor military actions. They allegedly had their attention fixed on Ulugan Bay in Puerto Princesa in Palawan.
The individuals arrested include a field commander, two intelligence operatives, a financier and another member. The NBI pointed out that some of the suspects had been in the country for years, married to Filipinas.
“These are what you call ‘sleeper’ spies,” Marcos said in reference to spies who stay inactive in other countries and are only activated for espionage duties.
More Suspects May Be Identified
Marcos said that the investigation is still in the early stages. The authorities think that the suspects who have been arrested could help lead them to other people who are engaged in similar activities.
“Maybe they can direct us to others who are also doing the same,” the President said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is also aware of the incident. Brawner said the arrests could be “the tip of the iceberg” of a larger operation.
However, the AFP has not been able to establish if the suspects were directly working for the Chinese government.
“From the information we have, we cannot claim that these activities were sponsored by the state,” said AFP Public Affairs Chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad.
Security analysts have explained that this is another example of the increasing risks of espionage in Southeast Asia, which is an area with many territorial disputes and military operations. This has led to calls for more stringent counterintelligence measures to prevent the disclosure of important national security information.
An Increasing Security Threat
NBI Cybercrime Division Chief Jeremy Lotoc said the investigation was initiated following a tip off. A group of Chinese nationals, who were pretending to be product buyers, had been noticed to be moving about near military installations in Palawan.
The suspects were said to have used drones to take close range pictures of the Philippine Navy ships. Some of their tools were seized from a rented resort in Palawan which made their purpose a subject of suspicion.
This is not the first time that alleged Chinese spies have been arrested in the Philippines. Previous operations also resulted in the arrest of a Chinese national, and two Filipinos on charges of espionage.
As the investigation continues the AFP and NBI are both attempting to establish the full impact of the operation. They are trying to ascertain whether the suspects were part of a bigger network.
The Philippine government has not yet presented the Chinese government with the list of the arrested suspects. At the moment, Marcos said that the focus is on gathering more information and securing the nation.
