The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has disclosed that a 39-year-old Chinese national, suspected of espionage, has been entering and leaving the Philippines since 2015. BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado confirmed that the individual, married to a Filipina, is currently under investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The BI has shared all relevant information with these agencies to aid their inquiries.
The Chinese national, identified as Deng Yuanqing, along with his Filipino accomplices Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jason Amado Fernandez, were apprehended by the NBI on January 17 in Makati City. They were found using a Toyota Rav4 SUV equipped with sophisticated devices for surveillance and mapping, capable of pinpointing locations with centimeter accuracy.
The seized equipment, according to the NBI and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, has significant military applications, including guidance for artillery and missiles, and assessing vehicle traffic capacity at surveilled locations. These locations included military exercise sites and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.
Commissioner Viado emphasized that deportation proceedings against Deng will not proceed until all local legal obligations and penalties are resolved. He also vowed to identify any other foreign accomplices in the country, stating that such espionage activities have no place in the President’s vision for a ‘New Philippines’ and that those involved will face severe consequences.