NBI links China to espionage targeting PH ships in WPS

MANILA, April 24 ------ Surveillance of Philippine vessels en route to the West Philippine Sea may be part of a wider and coordinated espionage operation tied to Chinese maritime forces, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) told a Senate panel. 

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, who chairs the Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, raised the alarm over intelligence reports that Chinese vessels were aware of Philippine resupply missions even before the ships departed from Palawan, suggesting possible coordination with foreign nationals recently arrested for suspected spying. “There is a possibility, Mr. Chair, kasi 'yung Palawan 5 po ang sinu-surveillance niyan yung mga vessels po natin na papuntang WPS,” lawyer Van Homer Angluben, executive officer of the NBI Cybercrime Division, said during the hearing. “Meron po kaming mga nakuhang information from the military na bago pa makaalis 'yung barko natin sa Palawan, alam na po ng mga vessel ng China na parating na 'yung resupply mission natin,” he added. 

The "Palawan 5" refers to the five Chinese nationals arrested separately in January for suspected spying on Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard assets in Palawan. Angluben said the NBI, in cooperation with military intelligence units, is actively verifying intelligence packets linked to possible foreign surveillance. The Senate inquiry, through Resolutions No. 1267 and PS No. 1328, also focused on the March 19 arrest of six Chinese nationals and one Filipino in Subic, suspected of conducting intelligence operations against the Philippine government. 

Tolentino said the espionage campaign had reached crisis proportions, noting that the surveillance appeared to involve sensitive data on military preparedness, naval operations, and national infrastructure. “Tunay na ang mga gawaing ito… ay may ma-ituturing na kriminal,” he said, citing Commonwealth Act No. 616 and provisions of the Revised Penal Code. He also linked the Subic arrests to prior cyber intrusions on the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. 

In his closing remarks, Tolentino commended the arresting authorities and presented a stark warning over the scale of the uncovered activities, hoping that the arrests "would lead to prosecution and eventual conviction of the arrested personalities." 

Source: pna.gov.ph