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The Office of the Civil Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines participate in the Nationwide Earthquake Drill at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on March 25, 2024.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:958px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171273812475820240325-ocd-national-earthquake-drill-JC-1041.jpg" style="width:958px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Office of the Civil Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines participate in the Nationwide Earthquake Drill at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on March 25, 2024.  <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is looking into reports that its active and retired military personnel are allegedly being recruited by China-based firms pretending to be from Western countries. </p><p>Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, <span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(65, 65, 65);color:rgb(65, 65, 65)">AFP spokesperson, </span>said they are working with other government agencies to investigate the matter, which is considered a “national security concern.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/7/afp-no-verified-report-of-any-troops-recruited-into-chinese-firms-1538">READ: AFP: No verified report of any troops recruited into Chinese firms</a> </div><p>The Department of Information and Communications Technology this week warned that firms pretending to be based in the United States or Europe have been trying to recruit retired and active duty military personnel into part-time jobs.</p><p>Padilla said that the site used for the online recruitment has been taken down, but that the military has secured screenshots of comments expressing interest to apply.</p><p>An initial check conducted on these online accounts showed that no AFP officer was involved, according to Padilla. </p><p>&quot;We have been checking, in coordination with other agencies, kung ano ang source talaga nitong account na ito and kung mayroon talagang personnel na may idinivulge na any information or na-leak na information in terms of the military,” she said on Wednesday in an interview on PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.</p><p>(We have been checking, in coordination with other agencies, who is really behind this account and if any personnel divulged military information.)</p><div><strong>&#x27;RECRUITER&#x27; FISHING FOR AFP DATA</strong></div><p>The AFP believes the motive of the reported recruitment is to get data from the armed forces. </p><p>“Sabi nga nila data is the new currency, data is the new oil, that’s really what they’re into. Kung ano ang information that they can make sense of. ‘Yun ang magiging target nila, and of course that’s what we’re trying to prevent,” Padilla said.</p><p>(As they say, data is the new currency. Data is the new oil. That&#x27;s really what they are after and what we are trying to prevent them from getting.)</p><p>She said the military is looking into potential leaks as well as potential violations of policies and regulations. </p><p>“We take these things seriously, so we are checking on this.&quot; </p><p>The AFP reminded its personnel to be cautious of similar recruitment efforts and other attempts to collect data from them.</p><p>&quot;Ang AFP, we always remain professional. Kailangan maging mapanuri. We also regularly conduct troop information and education. We will make sure that lahat ay properly disseminated ang information about these things going on,&quot; she said. -- <strong>with a report from Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hEgWtoUI2M0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The AFP said they are working with other government agencies to investigate the matter, which is considered a “national security concern."</p>

The AFP said they are working with other government agencies to investigate the matter, which is considered a “national security concern."

AFP investigating 'recruitment' of military personnel by China-based firms

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AFP investigating 'recruitment' of military personnel by China-based firms

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 10, 2024 06:10 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 10, 2024 07:43 PM PHT

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Armed Forces of the Philippines

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