NBI uncovers espionage ops with arrest of Chinese 'spy' in Makati

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have apprehended a suspected Chinese spy allegedly involved in espionage activities in the Philippines.

The suspect, identified as Chinese national Deng Yuanqing, was arrested along with two Filipino accomplices. The trio was reportedly using equipment to gather data and scan maps at multiple locations across Luzon.

At a press conference on Monday, January 20, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Cybercrime Division chief Jeremy Lotoc said the suspects were scanning “critical infrastructure” that could threaten national security.

"The person we arrested, one Chinese national, based on our open source intelligence with assistance from our Armed Forces of the Philippines, is a graduate, controlled and operated by the People's Liberation Army," Lotoc said in Filipino, referring to the military of China.

Deng, he said, has been in the Philippines for approximately five years.

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Romero Brawner Jr. explained that the sites targeted included military camps and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, which could potentially be used for “military targeting."

“It’s very possible that the coordinates and the topography could be used for military purposes, military targeting purposes,” Brawner said during the press conference.

“There are many other different camps. Not just camps. Even airports, seaports, and fuel depots,” Brawner said in a separate interview.  

The arrest

Deng and his Filipino accomplices were arrested on Friday in Makati City.

Authorities also seized their vehicle, which was equipped with advanced technology such as a global navigation satellite system and other scanning devices capable of creating 3D maps of buildings without physical entry.

“[It was] alarming in a sense that this equipment is capable of producing coordinates. In other words, it can be used for drone control to identify our topography and terrain,” Lotoc said.

Lotoc noted that authorities are still verifying whether these activities were sanctioned by the Chinese government.

The NBI has filed charges under the Espionage Law against Deng and his two Filipino cohorts.