Caught Red-Handed: 3 PH Defense Workers Were Secretly Spying for China, Says NSC
Three Filipino defense personnel have been caught spying for China in what the National Security Council described as a 'serious national security matter.' The trio — who worked for the Department of Defense, the Philippine Navy, and the Philippine Coast Guard — allegedly handed over sensitive military information to Chinese intelligence handlers.
NSC spokesman Cornelio Valencia revealed that the compromised personnel provided their handlers with lists of military personnel and, more alarmingly, operational details about resupply missions in the contested South China Sea. That's the same body of water where Chinese and Philippine forces have repeatedly clashed in recent years, making these leaks potentially dangerous to Filipino troops on the front lines.
Valencia described the recruitment as a gradual process. 'There was co-option over a period of time,' he explained. 'At the start you are not aware. And then you're surprised they're already asking you for sensitive data.' As for motivation? 'At the end of the day, it's always money,' he said bluntly.
The three individuals, whose names and genders were withheld for security reasons, have since confessed and are now cooperating with authorities. The NSC confirmed it had 'addressed and terminated' the espionage operations but declined to share further details about identities, methods, or timelines to protect ongoing operations. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has not responded to requests for comment.
This isn't the first time Chinese espionage has been uncovered in the Philippines. Last year, a Chinese national was arrested near the COMELEC offices using an IMSI catcher — a device that mimics cell towers to intercept messages — just days before the midterm elections. Two other Chinese men were caught in February 2025 using the same tech near sensitive government sites in Manila. The pattern is clear: Beijing's intelligence apparatus continues to probe Philippine defenses.
Source: The Manila Times
