The Philippines’ National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson announced on March 5th that certain information regarding the Philippines’ resupply missions in the South China Sea has not only been leaked but has also been obtained by Chinese Communist intelligence personnel. The NSC had revealed the uncovering of a spy case orchestrated by the Chinese Communist intelligence agency the previous day.
According to NSC spokesperson Cornelio Valencia, some information about the Philippines’ resupply missions in the South China Sea has been leaked to Chinese intelligence personnel. Valencia described this information leak as “alarming,” but stated that its impact is limited, and the channels used to convey such information have already been shut down.
Valencia stated, “Data on rotations and resupplies fall under operational security because once exposed, they could jeopardize personnel safety, and this information has indeed been leaked.”
He also mentioned that three Filipino citizens have been detained, with the possibility of more individuals involved. Valencia refused to confirm whether charges would be filed, saying, “What I can say is that they are cooperating with our security agencies. They have admitted and confessed to the matter, disclosing the data they obtained and shared, their assessments, and how they were recruited.”
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the Philippines’ accusations on March 5th, stating, “We oppose this. The details of the case are unclear, and there is no conclusive evidence.”
On March 4th, the Philippines’ National Security Council issued a statement confirming the dismantling of a serious national security crime involving espionage activities directed by the Chinese intelligence department, and relevant personnel have been arrested.
The statement emphasized, “Out of national security considerations, we cannot disclose the identities, modus operandi, or timeline of the individuals involved to avoid compromising ongoing operations. However, the authorities have taken necessary measures against the individuals – all Filipino citizens – who have confessed to engaging in espionage activities and are cooperating with the government’s investigation.”
According to Reuters, in February, three accused individuals agreed to interviews with Reuters under conditions of anonymity as security sources.
One of the accused claimed that he obtained information on deployments, resupply operations, and personnel rotations through contacting a Philippine Coast Guard officer and used the mobile phone issued to him to relay these details to a contact.
He showed Reuters the phone, which had a Tetris game; entering a specific code would open a hidden messaging platform which he used to communicate with his “handler.”
Another accused individual told Reuters that while working as a junior official in the Defense Department, a Filipino woman acquaintance contacted him, initially requesting him to write commentary articles for payment.
However, her demands escalated to providing information related to the South China Sea and bilateral cooperation between the Defense Department and the Philippines’ allies, including the United States.
He mentioned that he was unaware he was working for Chinese Communist spies initially and became suspicious only later, but due to financial needs, it was challenging to stop. He stated that he had been involved in these activities from 2023 to 2025.