NBI nabs 6 Chinese, Pinoy for illegal surveillance

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested six Chinese nationals and a Filipino on a private island in Zambales for allegedly conducting surveillance activities near the contested West Philippine Sea.

- EJ MACABABBAD

The suspects were arrested on March 19 during a hot-pursuit operation at Grande Island, located within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The operation followed a tip from military officials about possible "covert intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations" being carried out by affiliated members of the Chinese Communist Party-United Front Work.

The NBI identified the Chinese nationals as He Peng, Xu Xining, Ye Tianwu, Ye Xiaocan, Dick Ang and Su Anlong.

“These personalities went to the island disguising as recreational fishers,” Van Homer Angluben, director of the NBI Cybercrime Division, told reporters yesterday. “During surveillance, we noticed that they flew drones whenever a ship passed by.”

During the operation, authorities confiscated gadgets containing photos and videos of Philippine and American naval assets, documents listing the times and dates of naval fleet departures and arrivals at the Port of Subic and fake tax documents.

Melvin Aguillon, the Filipino suspect who served as a bodyguard, insisted that their group did not engage in covert activities, claiming, “They’re just fishing.”