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Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
March 9, 2026 | 12:00am
A suspected Chinese spy and his two Filipino accomplices are presented to the media in Manila on January 20, 2025.
MANILA, Philippines — Espionage activities uncovered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) included gathering information about troops in the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea (WPS), said the AFP would continue to fight espionage activities.
“Common sense will tell us that most likely, there are still [other spies],” Trinidad said in an interview on dzBB.
“These three that we caught; this is what we consider case closed. We released this so that our countrymen may know. But it doesn’t mean it ends here,” he said.
The spy handlers were asking information from a civilian with a close contact in the Coast Guard about the personnel in BRP Sierra Madre.
“One thing to highlight here is the interest of this person … on the West Philippine Sea. Who are the people deployed in Sierra Madre and our other features at the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad said.
The National Security Council (NSC) said on Wednesday that it uncovered “a serious national security matter” where Filipinos themselves are being used by China to conduct espionage operations in the country.
In a statement, the NSC also confirmed the existence of an “Insider Threat Program” involving various national government agencies currently dealing with the matter.
The NSC said Filipino spies were apprehended as a result of joint operations by various national government agencies under the Insider Threat Program.
Back anti-spying bill
Amid reports of China recruiting Filipinos as spies, Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima over the weekend called on her colleagues at the House of Representatives to help pass the House Bill 1844 or the Anti-Espionage Act that seeks to amend the Revised Penal Code and impose higher penalties for espionage.
“This is long overdue. We must provide our security agencies with adequate resources to conduct a nationwide crackdown on spies, particularly around our most sensitive defense installations,” De Lima stressed.
According to National Security Council chief Eduardo Año, there were certain Filipinos who were reportedly paid by China in exchange for passing sensitive information. — Delon Porcalla
