BI to file charges against those harboring foreign spies

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Friday it will file charges against individuals found guilty of harboring foreign spies in the Philippines.

Commissioner Joel Viado said the BI is working with the Department of Justice to gather information about five Chinese nationals arrested for allegedly spying on Philippine Navy and Coast Guard assets in Palawan.

An initial investigation revealed that the suspects had regular immigration status, raising suspicions of deeper involvement within Filipino society.

Viado warned that anyone assisting these alleged spies will face charges under Section 46 of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 for harboring illegal aliens.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed concern over the incident and is awaiting further details on the suspects' activities, noting their prolonged presence in the country.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested the foreign suspects after they returned from Palawan, where they allegedly conducted aerial surveillance using drones to capture images of Philippine Navy vessels.

Two suspects were apprehended at NAIA and one each in Binondo, Intramuros, and Dumaguete, with the operation following a previous arrest of another Chinese national and two Filipinos for suspected espionage.