Authorities arrested two more individuals suspected of espionage in Palawan.
The two, who posed as Taiwanese nationals, were reportedly seen taking photos and videos of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel somewhere in Palawan when they were apprehended.
National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said during the Utak Forum in Quezon City last Wednesday that the individuals were arrested in the province. However, he did not provide further details to avoid compromising ongoing operations by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“What I can say right now is there will be more arrests, including what happened there in Palawan,” Malaya said.
“We have ramped up our counterintelligence efforts; we have more than two suspects on our radar,” he added.
The arrest also came just weeks after another individual, identified as Deng Yuanqing, along with two Filipino nationals, was apprehended by NBI operatives in Metro Manila.
Moreover, Malaya said authorities have been monitoring espionage networks in the country for a long time.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg, and there will be more arrests in the coming days,” he said.
“I don’t want to preempt the announcement of the NBI and, of course, other relevant law enforcement agencies. We will probably have announcements in the next few days about other individuals who were also caught conducting intelligence operations in the Philippines,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Malaya commended civilians for their cooperation in efforts to prevent illegal activities.
“Ang ano lang natin sa ating mga kababayan, we would like to thank all of them for their support to the government,” he said.
“Again, I appeal to the public, if you see any suspicious activity, report that immediately to the nearest law enforcement agency—PNP, even the AFP, and, of course, the NBI,” he added.
