TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Philippine authorities have arrested several Chinese nationals suspected of espionage after they allegedly posed as Taiwanese tourists to monitor the movements of Philippine coast guard vessels near the South China Sea, local media reported.
GMA News said the suspects were taken into custody in Palawan province after being caught secretly filming coast guard ships entering and leaving a base from a concealed spot at a beachfront resort. Residents reportedly captured images of one individual engaging in suspicious activities, per CNA.
Witnesses claimed the suspects operated drones without authorization. They also reportedly installed surveillance cameras on coconut trees facing the sea in an area where Philippine coast guard and navy vessels transit.
The suspect denied espionage charges. However, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said authorities discovered evidence on their mobile phones, including images of military camps, vessels, and other sensitive facilities.
National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago said the suspects were not acting alone. Authorities have launched a search for their alleged accomplices.
The arrests come as tensions between the Philippines and China escalate over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Palawan is located near the contested Spratly Islands.
The Spratly Islands are the subject of overlapping territorial claims by several nations, including Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia, all of whom assert varying degrees of sovereignty over the islands and the surrounding maritime areas. Taiwan, China, and Vietnam claim all of the islands, while Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei lay claim to certain islands within the archipelago, according to the Navy Command.
Separately, NBI agents arrested a Chinese national surnamed Deng (鄧) in Metro Manila's Makati City about two weeks ago. Authorities accused Deng, a long-term resident of the Philippines, of working with local associates to gather intelligence on military bases using vehicles equipped with surveillance equipment to map terrain and structures.
At a press conference Monday, Deng’s wife denied accusations that he was a Chinese spy. However, GMA News cited sources linking the newly arrested suspects to Deng.
