By Focus and AFP | 2025-02-03

MANILA -- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said he is "very disturbed" by Chinese surveillance of the country's military, following a series of arrests of alleged Chinese spies.

"We are very disturbed by anyone conducting such espionage operations against our military," Marcos told reporters on January 31.

In a statement, National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the arrests underscore the need for "continued vigilance and proactive counterintelligence measures."

'Tip of the iceberg'

Philippine security officials January 30 said they arrested five Chinese spies, following the arrest of a compatriot for espionage earlier in January.

Two men were arrested at Manila airport after they allegedly conducted surveillance on Philippine navy and other government vessels supplying military garrisons in the disputed Spratly archipelago.

The men, using a drone and high-resolution solar-powered camera, recorded activities at a naval base, a coast guard station, an air base and a dockyard in Palawan province, the closest major landmass to the Spratlys, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Jaime Santiago told a news conference.

"We consider them very dangerous to national security because of course, if this falls into other hands, this could be very dangerous for our personnel in the base and also those on board our ships," Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner told the news conference.

The spies disguised themselves as buyers of marine products or members of legitimate organizations.

Two other Chinese men were separately arrested elsewhere in Manila and another in the central city of Dumaguete, Santiago said.

It followed the arrest earlier in January of a Chinese software engineer named Deng Yuanqing and two Filipino associates suspected of spying on military and police camps -- allegations dismissed by the Chinese embassy in Manila.

A witness told the authorities Deng met with the five detained suspects once a month, acting on instructions from an unnamed "foreign national" in China, NBI cybercrime unit chief Jeremy Lotoc said.

Brawner said it was premature to conclude that the spying was state sponsored, with Filipino authorities yet to identify the end receiver of the intelligence gathered.

"This is perhaps just the tip of the iceberg; many can still be caught doing these activities," Brawner said. "There are more of them."

Chinese submarine drone

A suspected Chinese submarine drone recovered in waters off the central Philippines in late December adds to the concerns over the potential security threats posed by Beijing, police said.

Three fishermen found the drone December 30 about 9km off the coast of San Pascual in Masbate province, a police report said January 2.

The Philippines and China have for years clashed over maritime rights in the South China Sea as well as possession of reefs and islets.

China claims almost the entire sea, brushing off rival claims from other countries and an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The yellow drone marked "HY-119" was found floating at sea before being turned over to authorities, regional police director Andre Dizon told AFP.

It was about two meters long and torpedo-shaped with fins.

"Based on our open-source research in the internet ... HY-119 refers to a Chinese underwater navigation and communication system," Dizon said.

"It has an antenna and an eye that can be used for viewing. Based on our research, this can be used for monitoring and reconnaissance."

The drone was not armed, said Dizon, but the police report cited "potential national security implications."

The Philippine navy turned over the drone to police on December 31, Dizon added.