Busted: 3 Pinoy Defense Workers Caught Selling Military Secrets to China
Three Filipino government workers from the country's defense establishment have been arrested for allegedly spying for China, the National Security Council (NSC) confirmed this week — exposing what authorities are calling a China-linked espionage network operating right inside the Philippine military apparatus.
The arrested individuals worked with the Department of National Defense (DND), the Philippine Navy, and had access to a Philippine Coast Guard officer. According to NSC reports, the trio admitted to obtaining and leaking sensitive information about military operations in the West Philippine Sea to Chinese contacts.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año moved to calm public fears on Friday, assuring the public that no "top secret" information was compromised. "May mga sensitive na information katulad ng schedule ng rotation and resupply missions, pero walang damage sa atin," Año explained. He urged all government personnel to report any recruitment attempts by foreign operatives immediately.
Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad revealed a chilling detail: the recruitment happened through online job platforms. Contacts would pose as consulting firms, offering roles as "columnists" or "analysts," then slowly steer the recruits into writing about specific military topics — with payments coursing through GCash and other e-wallets.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said its existing counterintelligence measures were instrumental in uncovering the network and sees no need for sweeping loyalty checks. The suspects are reportedly cooperating with investigators as authorities dig deeper into the extent of the operation.
Source: SunStar Manila
