BI warns of foreign spies after 6 Chinese nationals arrested

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is urging vigilance against suspected foreign spies who may have embedded themselves in Philippine society.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado stated that some of these individuals, holding legal statuses and long-term residency, were found to be engaged in suspicious activities by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Six suspected Chinese spies, identified as Deng Yuangqing, Cai Shaohuang, Cheng Hai Tao, Wu Cheng Ting, Wang Yong Yi, and Wu Chin Ren, were recently arrested during operations by the NBI and AFP.

The arrested individuals have been charged with non-bailable offenses, including violations of the Espionage Act in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Some of the arrested suspects have been in the Philippines as early as 2002, holding legal statuses before their suspicious activities were discovered.

The BI is collaborating with the Department of Justice, NBI, and AFP to gather information on the suspects, and the DOJ intends to file cases against their accomplices.

Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activities of foreign nationals that could potentially impact national security.