Dennis Gaviola

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. Xi will be visiting the country from November 20 to 21. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA<strong> (2nd UPDATE)</strong> — The National Security Council on Thursday said three Filipinos detained for alleged <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/4/ph-has-uncovered-and-stopped-malign-activities-linked-to-china-nsc-2030">Chinese-linked spy activities </a>confessed to obtaining information ranging from the identities of Navy personnel engaged in the West Philippine Sea activities to operational details. </p><p>NSC Spokesperson Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia Jr. disclosed that the apprehended individuals worked in the Department of Defense and the Philippine Navy.</p><p>“One of them came from the Defense Department, he was working as an assistant; another one is from the Philippine Navy; another as a researcher of the Navy; and one is a close person to a Philippine Coast Guard officer that have access to important or sensitive information,” he said in a television interview with state-run media PTV. </p><p>“Iyong mga nakuhang information include list of personnel of the Philippine Navy, so iyong mga datos about sa mga officers natin na engaged dito sa West Philippine Sea and then operational details and data like RoRe missions, timings,” he added.</p><p>“These are critical things that were shared and this was found by our intelligence operations na on the act that they are being shared and ito, nag-confess naman itong tatlong ito,” Valencia noted. </p><p>The NSC earlier reported that authorities uncovered and stopped espionage and &quot;foreign-directed malign activities&quot; by Filipinos who are linked to China.</p><p>&quot;The operations of these individuals acting on the behest of Chinese Intelligence have been addressed and terminated,&quot; the council said Wednesday.</p><p>Valencia said part of profiling for prospective spies is their access to sensitive information, skillset and capability to explain data.</p><p>“But most of all, ang isang hinahanap din nila sa profiling is medyo maraming grievance or sinasabi natin may work-related problems or may personal problems, and this is what the handlers or recruiters are taking advantage. And most of all, hinahanap nila lalo na iyong nangangailangan ng pera – the allure of money is really blinding. So, at times you forget your national soul in exchange for 30 silvers,” he added. </p><p>For now, the NSC official declined to disclose the names and locations of the three apprehended Filipinos, citing national security and their safety. </p><p>“Currently, they have confessed and they are cooperating with us to further see what is really happening,” he stated.</p><p>“Our legal department is the one handling on what probable cases that can be filed against them,” he added.</p><p>Valencia expressed support for the passage of a new Anti-Espionage Law that would “enable the security sector to investigate incidents.”</p><p>“It would also harden us, it would make protections so that our national interest will not be divulged to other countries,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/24/ph-navy-flags-espionage-trend-after-arrests-of-suspected-chinese-spies-1422">PH Navy flags &#x27;espionage trend&#x27; after arrests of suspected Chinese spies</a></div><div><strong>‘FABRICATED’</strong></div><p>The Chinese Embassy, for its part, denied the existence of so-called Chinese spies in the Philippines, calling such reports as “malicious” and “fabricated”.</p><p>“We firmly oppose and strongly deplore irresponsible remarks made by certain Philippine agencies peddling so-called “Chinese spy” narratives. China follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. Such accusations are malicious smears against China and yet another attempt to hype up the so-called “China threat” rhetoric,” spokesperson JI Lingpeng said.</p><p>“For some time, the Philippines has fabricated a series of so-called “Chinese spy” cases based on far-fetched allegations. This is a typical act of ill-intentioned association and politically motivated presumption of guilt in the absence of detailed information on the case and clear evidence. We firmly reject such practices,” he added.</p><div><strong>RECRUITMENT</strong> </div><p>The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it had encountered similar incidents in the past, including the discovery of a website that recruited former members of the AFP to serve as consultants or advisers.</p><p>“In the past, may incidents na tayo na mayroon nga tayong tinakedown before—about a year ago—na may website that was recruiting former members of the AFP, kahit na civilian ka man or active, tapos lumabas na, and they were taking them in as advisers or consultants. So, they were being recruited to be consultants in different capacities,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said. </p><p>“Ito, nung nakita natin, tinakedown natin ito agad. In fact, nung nilabas natin ito, agad na rin na nawala talaga yung site na ito… Ang magandang i-highlight ay we were able to detect these activities and deter ang pagkalat pa nito,” she told reporters in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/10/22/chinese-cyber-espionage-targets-philippines-microsoft-report-1827">Chinese cyber espionage targets Philippines: Microsoft report</a></div><p>Padilla said espionage activities have evolved in recent years, with modern operations now making use of cyber and technological methods.</p><p>She cited several incidents involving suspected intelligence-gathering technologies.</p><p>“Kung makikita nyo, we have been giving you updates on this, pati itong mga nahuhuli natin na mayroong IMSI [International Mobile Subscriber Identity] catchers,” the official said.</p><p>“Itong espionage activities occurring all throughout the past years talaga namang sinisiwalat natin ito. So, may nahuli tayo diyan na may mga sasakyan na mayroong IMSI catcher, mayroon din tayong nakita na mayroong 3D and 4D mapping capabilities. So, lahat ito tinitingnan natin how everything falls into play, even itong drones that we have been seeing that is proliferating in our seas, particularly in the West Philippine Sea,” she added. </p><p>Padilla said the AFP was working closely with other government agencies as part of a broader national security effort.</p><p>“Nandiyan ang coordination natin with the Bureau of Immigration, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, and overall led by the NSC [National Security Council] on this,” the AFP spokesperson said.</p><p>Padilla stressed that recent cases involving foreign nationals flagged by authorities show that government monitoring systems were functioning.</p><p>She, however, declined to provide details about the individuals involved in the ongoing investigation.</p><p>“Our systems in place are working,” Padilla emphasized.  “Iba-iba kasi ang reason. Some of them [arrested individuals] are ang questionable is ang documents nila mismo. Yung iba is duration ng stay. Ibat-ibang reasons for different personalities but what we are highlighting is that we are able to detect these incidents and act on it accordingly.”</p><p>“Hindi natin dina-divulge ang operational details as ongoing pa ito… Ang mako-confirm ko lang is ang role ng AFP. For the AFP, we are part of this collaborative effort para makita ang whole scope and sino ba, kanino ba sila nagre-report, for what reason, motives behind, mga ganyan,” she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/3/china-claims-philippines-fabricated-cases-of-chinese-spies-1936">China claims Philippines &#x27;fabricated&#x27; cases of Chinese spies</a></div><div><strong>PUBLIC URGED TO REMAIN VIGILANT</strong></div><p>Padilla said the public should not be alarmed but remain vigilant. </p><p>“The mere fact that we are able to detect and deter these incidents means to say that our systems are working. Maging mapanatag pa rin ang ating mga kababayan, but they have to be very vigilant din with what they see, what they believe in, what they read. Malaking tulong din ang ating mga kababayan dito sa reports na binibigay nila,” she said. </p><p>“Hinihikayat natin ang ating mga kababayan na kapag meron silang nakitang kahinahinala, makipagtulungan sa pinakamalapit na ahensya ng gobyerno,” Padilla told the public.</p><p>Malacañang urged all government members to be vigilant and safeguard sensitive data.</p><p>“Sa ganitong konteksto, ang paalala ng Palasyo sa lahat ng nasa gobyerno ay maging maingat at mapanuri,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a statement Thursday, March 5.</p><p>“Bantayan ninyo ang inyong mga opisina, protektahan ang mga sensitibong impormasyon ng pamahalaan, at tiyaking hindi ito makokompromiso ng mga aktor na maaaring magdulot ng banta sa pambansang seguridad,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bxf-B2tSokc" title="China releases footage said to show detained Filipinos accused of espionage | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dTByk8tuNHw" title="5 umanong Chinese spies matagal na umanong nakatanim sa Pilipinas | TV Patrol" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The National Security Council on Thursday said three Filipinos detained for alleged Chinese-linked spy activities confessed to obtaining information ranging from the identities of Navy personnel engaged in the West Philippine Sea activities to operational details.</p>

The National Security Council on Thursday said three Filipinos detained for alleged Chinese-linked spy activities confessed to obtaining information ranging from the identities of Navy personnel engaged in the West Philippine Sea activities to operational details.

NSC: Three Filipinos detained for alleged espionage have confessed

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NSC: Three Filipinos detained for alleged espionage have confessed

Harlene Delgado,

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 05, 2026 03:35 PM PHT

|

Updated March 14, 2026 12:11 PM PHT

Read More:

NSC

China

sea

West Philippine Sea

espionage

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