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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
February 17, 2026 | 3:45pm
The 30-year-old Mongolian national nabbed by the Bureau of Immigration on Feb. 12, 2026, for alleged espionage activities.
Bureau of Immigration / Released
MANILA, Philippines — National Security Adviser Eduardo Año has confirmed that the Mongolian national arrested in Zambales last week was a trained jet fighter pilot under China's People's Liberation Army who concealed his military background to enroll as an aviation student.
Año's statement, shared on Tuesday, February 17, confirms the individual's — identified as Boldbaatar Bold-Erdene — actual ties and service in the Chinese military. The Bureau of Immigration had earlier described him in a public statement as having a "suspected affiliation to the Chinese government."
The 30-year-old was arrested on February 12 at an unnamed aviation school in Barangay Lipay Dingin, Iba, Zambales.
Bold-Erdene held a jet fighter license from the PLA Air Force Aviation University, which he did not disclose when he enrolled as a pilot student at the Zambales aviation academy, Año said. The non-disclosure, he said, "constitutes a serious violation of Philippine immigration laws."
His "presence and actions in Zambales near vital military locations are clearly inconsistent with his purpose of stay in the country," Año added.
Records shared by the bureau show the individual arrested is a graduate of the Defense University of Mongolia and the Civil Aviation University of China. Most notably, he obtained a license as a jet fighter pilot from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force Aviation University and previously served as a soldier with fighter aircraft combat experience.
Aerial photography during flight exercises
According to the BI, Bold-Erdene was flagged after he reportedly conducted aerial photography of Iba Airport and the nearby Palauig River area — around five nautical miles from the airport — during flight exercises.
The BI Intelligence Division–Special Response Team carried out the February 12 arrest with elements of the 69th Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division of the AFP, along with the Iba Municipal Police Station, PPO Zambales, CIDG Region 3, RIU 3, PNP Internal Affairs, PRO 3, and government intelligence agencies.
Bold-Erdene, described as a graduating pilot student at the academy, was tagged by the BI as an "undesirable alien for posing a risk to public interest and safety," according to the bureau's statement.
Año warned that while the Philippines welcomes foreign students and aviation trainees, "any act of misrepresentation, concealment, and activity that compromise national security will be dealt with firmly."
"Any attempt to exploit our openness, deceive our authorities, or operate against our national interest will be detected, disrupted, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he said.
He called on the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest authorities, including unexplained aerial activity near military and sensitive areas or individuals suspected of misrepresenting their identity or background.
Zambales sits along the western coast of Luzon, facing the South China Sea. The province hosts key military assets, including areas used by Philippines and other allied countries for exercises and operations tied to the country's defense of its claims in the West Philippine Sea.
