WHAT used to be no more than a fictional film embarking on a philandering British secret service agent and highly-sophisticated gadgets, has become a reality. A sad reality that is for the Philippines in view of recent confirmation on Chinese espionage.
The suspected spy by the name of Deng Yuanqing, was arrested two days after being arrested by NBI agents for allegedly conducting surveillance activities in the country’s major facilities which include military camps, bases, power plants, offices of local government units, police camps, seaports, airports and even Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.
Authorities described Deng Yuanqing as a “specialist in terms of control engineering and the automation and engineering discipline.” He is a graduate of the People’s Liberation Army University of Science and Technology, which is now referred to as Army Engineering University in 2017.
Likewise arrested were two Filipinos who had since executed extrajudicial affidavits that they were ordered to drive the Chinese and his equipment around specific areas in Luzon.
The Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to issue a statement.
SPYING SINCE 2019
Citing initial information gathered from the Bureau of Immigration, NBI Cybercrime Division chief Jeremy Lotoc, Deng Yuanqing — a software engineer – may have been spying on the country for at least five years.
“I think five years na siyang nandito or even more. And we believe that, well, hinagap namin siya as a sleeper kasi through our monitoring… yung galawan niya talagang nasa normal. Kaya niyang mag blend in sa iba’t ibang grupo nang hindi napapansin,” he said.
Initial investigations showed that the supposed spy team would spend time near the target facility and collate data using a remote application and sending classified information in real time.
Lotoc said the group had equipment such as a sensor that is capable of creating a 3D image of the target structure as well as a global navigation satellite systems real-time kinematic. The division chief said the equipment was capable of producing coordinates too.
AFP CONFIRMATION
Following the arrest of Deng Yuanqing, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that the confiscated gadgets could be used for military purposes.
“It’s very possible that the coordinates and the topography could be used for military purposes, no? Military targeting purposes,” AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner said.
Brawner has since ordered that security in all facilities nationwide be further tightened even as he claimed that the military has already beefed up security at its camps, with strict checking of individuals entering AFP compounds and installations.
According to Lotoc, the group was eyeing to head to the Visayas and Mindanao after completing its “rounds” in Luzon.
“In fact, ang plano nila pagkatapos nila maikot yung buong Luzon, ang next target nila ay yung buong Visayas at Mindanao naman. So hindi na po namin hinintay na mag pro-proceed sila sa Visayas,” the NBI cybercrime expert averred.
NOT THE FIRST
Despite admitting a breach of national security, Brawner said that there is no cause for public alarm even as he claimed that the AFP is monitoring all espionage activities in the country.
To prove his point, the AFP chief said that Deng Yuanqing isn’t the first Chinese national to be arrested on suspicion of espionage. The AFP previously apprehended a Chinese national who was driving a vehicle with a similar setup and equipment.
“What we saw on the equipment were pictures of camps. Picture ng Fort Bonifacio, picture ng Camp Aguinaldo, picture ng Camp Crame and so on. So tinitignan po nami lahat ng koneksyon nitong mga ito,” the AFP chief was quoted in an interview.
“From the Ramford na nakuha natin ngayon, the Toyota Innova that we apprehended, we captured last year, at iba din po, kasama po ‘yung ibang equipment na narecover natin.“
ESCALATING TENSION
The Philippines and China are locked in a long-standing maritime dispute in parts of the South China Sea. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has pushed back against China’s expansive claims over the waterway, angering Beijing.
As a result, China intensified its presence in the disputed maritime region by sending more Chinese vessels — including militia ships and that of China’s People’s Liberation Army – well within the 200-nautical mile Philippine exclusive economic zone
Early this month, Bloomberg News reported that Chinese-state sponsored hackers penetrated the executive branch of the Philippines government and stole sensitive data as part of a years-long campaign.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said Beijing has consistently opposed all forms of hacking and cyberattacks.
BREAKING THE IMPASSE
Sometime in July last year, China and the Philippines held a meeting aimed at easing the tensions in the South China Sea
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong met in Manila in line with the existing Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea.
According to the DFA official, both countries “affirmed their commitment to de-escalate tensions without prejudice to their respective positions.”
Soon after the meeting, Chinese ships, including research vessels swarmed the West Philippine Sea.
