Report Chinese spying, other suspicious schemes

The arrest of six suspected Chinese spies in Subic Freeport last week is the fourth Philippine counterespionage strike reported this year alone.

- JARIUS BONDOC

Disguised as game fishermen, the Chinese operated on Grande Island at the mouth of Subic Bay, Zambales, site of the Philippine Navy’s second largest base.

NBI agents monitored them flying drones every time a ship passed by. Seized were gadgets containing photos and videos of Philippine and US naval craft, fleet departure and arrival logs and fake tax documents.

Their Filipino bodyguard illegally carried a firearm during the election ban.

In early January, Makati police nabbed a Chinese with two Filipino accomplices surveilling military and other government facilities in Luzon. Found in their vehicle were a global navigation satellite system and scanning devices to create 3D maps of buildings without physical entry.

Late that month NBI caught five Chinese “tourists” frequenting Ulugan Naval Base in west Palawan. Taken from them were mobile devices containing photos and videos of Philippine Coast Guard stations and vessels and Buliluyan Port in south Palawan.

They turned out to be associated with the Chinese detained in Makati. They had videoed PCG vessels in Manila Bay and Navy movements in Subic.

Four of them led groups affiliated with the China Communist Party. They had donated cash and vehicles to Manila police and Tarlac officials.

In February, NBI presented two Chinese who possessed International Mobile Subscriber Identity catchers, spyware and photographs of Malacañang, US embassy, Villamor Airbase, Camp Aguinaldo AFP headquarters and Camp Crame PNP headquarters.

They paid three Filipinos P3,000 a day to drive them around.