The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has firmly upheld its stance that a Chinese national, along with two Filipino accomplices, was involved in unauthorized foreign intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance activities. This assertion was made despite the family of the Chinese individual claiming his innocence against the espionage charges.
In a recent ambush interview, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla emphasized that clandestine activities are typically kept under wraps. She revealed that the data extracted from the suspects’ seized equipment included detailed maps of the Philippines’ critical infrastructure, which are difficult to alter or manipulate.
Padilla questioned the purpose behind the suspects possessing data on military and police camps, as well as other vital infrastructures. She stressed the AFP’s serious approach to the matter due to its implications for national security. The spokesperson also highlighted that their investigations are based on empirical data rather than rumors.
Padilla mentioned ongoing investigations aimed at uncovering more accurate data. She echoed the sentiments of senior government security officials who have been calling for the strengthening and enhancement of the country’s espionage laws.
The arrests of Chinese national Deng Yuanqing, and Filipinos Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jason Amado Fernandez, were made on January 17 by the National Bureau of Investigation at a condominium in Makati City. Among the items confiscated was a Toyota Rav4 SUV, which served as a ‘rover’ equipped with locator and mapping devices capable of pinpointing coordinates with centimeter-level accuracy.