Philippine Navy Spokesperson Roy Trinidad said entry-level employees of the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have become targets for foreign espionage recruitment. In an ANC interview on Monday, March 16, he explained how foreign handlers leverage low-level positions for insights into Philippine maritime operations.
In an ANC interview, Navy Spokesperson Roy Trinidad said recruitment of entry-level DND and AFP personnel for foreign espionage is rarely accidental. Foreign handlers begin with detailed profiling to identify individual weaknesses, such as low financial compensation for bottom-tier positions. “So ang weakness is it money, ideology, compromise, ego, iba-iba ano diyan yung weakness ng tao,” Trinidad said. “So most likely kung nasa baba ka, the reward will be compensation, financial compensation,” he added. While they lack access to “secret” or “top secret” documents, these staff can view classified and confidential information on operational matters, which remains valuable to adversaries. One instance involved spies asked for personnel lists deployed to West Philippine Sea features, including those aboard BRP Sierra Madre. Compensation ranges from four to six digits in Philippine pesos, depending on the report's nature and accuracy. In 2025, authorities apprehended several individuals for alleged espionage. Rappler reported young professionals spying for Chinese handlers, confirmed by the National Security Council as insider threats. This occurs amid China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, where the 2016 UNCLOS arbitral ruling invalidated its “nine-dash line” claims, which Beijing rejects.