Jamaine Punzalan

Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018 ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping's state visit in the country. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Flying the Chinese flag

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177312963613020181119-chinese-flag-xi-jinping-state-visit-MD-8721.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Chinese flags wave with Philippine flags along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on November 19, 2018 ahead of Chinese president Xi Jinping&#x27;s state visit in the country. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File  </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) pointed to an alleged growing global intelligence trend by China after authorities uncovered and disrupted activities involving Filipino nationals linked to espionage and foreign-directed malign operations.</p><p>Nationals security officials earlier said three arrested Filipinos confessed to obtaining sensitive information, including identities of Philippine Navy personnel and operational details on the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>Part of the profiling for the Filipino spies linked with China is their access to sensitive information, skillset, capability to explain data, and their finances.</p><p>According to AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, this shows how foreign intelligence networks recruit individuals through discreet and indirect means, often targeting young professionals online.</p><p>“This is a global trend by the Chinese Communist Party to get information from discreet or surreptitious means. Meaning to say, not through open sources, not through established channels of information sharing,” Trinidad told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Tuesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2026/3/8/gaming-app-used-as-mode-of-communication-by-spies-official-1826">Gaming app used as mode of communication by spies – official</a></div><p>Such efforts, Trinidad said, aim to boost China’s military capability and gain insight into the plans of rival countries.</p><p>“This will allow the Chinese Communist Party—number one—to be able to prepare…and advance their capabilities beyond other countries. Secondly, it would give them an advantage knowing what the plans are of their adversaries,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CLASSIFIED WEST PH SEA INFO</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Authorities earlier disclosed that information leaked by the arrested individuals included personnel lists and clinical operational data, such as rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.</p><p>“These are classified [information] considering the positions of the concerned personnel at the lower level of the plantilla hierarchy. Their access to information is limited to those only classified. We have classifications for our information: classified, confidential, secret and top secret. Their access level was to classified information,” Trinidad said. </p><p>Trinidad said the unauthorized gathering of such information poses a national risk.</p><p>He added that security measures across facilities in the West Philippine Sea were being reviewed and strengthened.</p><p>“The gathering of unauthorized information to an adversary is considered a threat. We have detected the threat and we have stopped it. The security measures not only of BRP Sierra Madre but [of] all other facilities in the West Philippine Sea are continually being enhanced, evaluated and enhanced as necessary,” Trinidad noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/9/casual-convo-with-pcg-personnel-turns-into-alleged-espionage-case-1302">Casual convo with PCG personnel turns into alleged espionage case</a></div><div><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AlZa8jKY1_U" title="China responds to Philippines&#x27; latest &#x27;Chinese spy&#x27; allegations | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) pointed to an alleged growing global intelligence trend by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after authorities uncovered and disrupted activities involving Filipino nationals linked to espionage and foreign-directed malign operations.</p>

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) pointed to an alleged growing global intelligence trend by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) after authorities uncovered and disrupted activities involving Filipino nationals linked to espionage and foreign-directed malign operations.

AFP: China-linked espionage in PH part of growing global intelligence trend

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AFP: China-linked espionage in PH part of growing global intelligence trend

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 10, 2026 04:05 PM PHT

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Armed Forces of the Philippines

espionage

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