Since 2023, Chinese nationals have recruited Filipinos in government to access sensitive defense and security information. This has spurred efforts to update the Philippines' anti-espionage laws. The Department of National Defense calls for stricter measures against modern spying techniques.
Since 2023, the Philippines has been investigating Filipinos inside and outside government suspected of handing over confidential and secret documents to foreign nationals, particularly Chinese nationals in at least three cases, according to Rappler's security sources.
The recruits, typically in their mid- to late-20s with financially unstable families, were contacted via social media by recruiters posing as research and consulting firms. They were lured with side gigs involving analysis from open source intelligence but eventually provided classified files from the Department of National Defense (DND), Philippine Navy, and ties to the Philippine Coast Guard.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is aware of efforts to coerce and co-opt members of the defense and security sector, according to DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio Andolong. "The proposed legislation could append the wartime and peacetime gap and criminalize modern spying methods, such as drone surveillance, cyber penetration, data scraping, and the use of signal interceptors near military bases or critical infrastructure," he said.
Pending in Congress are bills like Senate Bill No. 33 by Panfilo Lacson, which would impose harsher penalties including life imprisonment, fines, and deportation for foreigners. It would also cover cyber platforms and allow interception of private messages with Court of Appeals permission.
The Chinese embassy denies the allegations, calling them 'baseless accusations meant to smear the image of China.' This occurs as the Philippines advances a transparency initiative in the West Philippine Sea and strengthens ties with the US.