Operational data concerning the West Philippine Sea and Philippine Navy modernization plans were compromised in an espionage operation involving several Filipinos, officials said Tuesday.
West Philippine Sea Data Compromised
The compromised information includes operational data for the West Philippine Sea, as well as plans for the Philippine Navy’s modernization and strategic basing, according to Navy spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad.
The National Security Council of the Philippines (NSC) stated that information related to the country’s resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea was passed on to Chinese intelligence agents. Three Filipinos have been apprehended, with the possibility of additional arrests.
The leaked information is considered classified, Trinidad confirmed. “Considering the positions of the concerned personnel at the lower level of the plantilla hierarchy, their access to information is limited to those only classified,” he said.
Authorities have determined the motives of the three Filipinos allegedly spying for China were purely financial, involving substantial salaries and bonuses from their handlers.
The arrested individuals, ranging in age from their mid-20s to late 20s, were seeking employment and responded to online job postings. They were initially recruited as analysts or researchers, according to Trinidad. “That’s where everything started. And I would like to say that there is compensation, financial compensation for this from four to six digits.”
The three arrested Filipinos are currently in the custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Trinidad characterized the alleged espionage as part of a “global trend” by the Chinese Communist Party to acquire information through discreet and surreptitious means, rather than open sources or established channels.
“This will allow the Chinese Communist Party number one to be able to prepare their capabilities to be able to advance their capabilities beyond other countries,” Trinidad stated.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila has denied any connection to the alleged espionage activities.
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