Philippine authorities arrested a Chinese national and two Filipino accomplices in Makati City on January 17 for allegedly gathering sensitive data surrounding military installations and critical infrastructure, posing serious threats to national security.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified the suspects as Deng Yuanqing, a 39-year-old suspected Chinese spy, and his Filipino accomplices, Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jayson Amado Fernandez, who are accused of conducting espionage activities targeting military sites and power installations.
On January 20, the NBI presented the trio to the media, accusing them of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities “to the prejudice of our national defense”, according to Jeremy Lotoc, NBI’s cybercrime division chief.
Lotoc said the suspects were arrested after they failed to present a permit, license, or authority to conduct a survey.
Authorities recovered a GNSS RPK Global Navigation Satellite System from the suspects, a device capable of producing 3D images of targeted structures.
According to Lotoc, “these devices were used to survey critical infrastructure such as military camps, LGU (local government unit) offices, power plants, police camps, and even shopping malls.”
“As of the moment, we were able to establish that they are engaged in ISR operations, meaning intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, to the prejudice of our national defense considering that their targets are mostly critical infrastructures connected to national security,” Lotoc said in a press conference on January 20.
Authorities revealed that Besa and Fernandez confessed to serving as Deng’s driver and assistant. They admitted escorting him to key locations such as military and police headquarters, government offices, and infrastructure sites, including the Malampaya gas field and a National Grid Corporation substation in Batangas province, located in southern Luzon, Philippines.
Mapping critical areas
Lotoc reported that agents seized maps showing that Deng and his team had completed a detailed survey of Luzon. The suspects allegedly planned to continue their surveillance in the Visayas and Mindanao before their arrest.
“Basically, they are collecting data, and they have a remote application which, in real-time, transmits outside. This application has a user who is based remotely outside of the country and collects the data by the suspected Chinese spy,” Lotoc said.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. who also joined the press conference, confirmed that some of the surveyed locations were Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites linked to the military partnership between the Philippines and the United States.
“We saw that some of the areas are Edca sites,” Brawner said, referring to the nine locations chosen for the bilateral defense pact.
The AFP chief stressed the importance of gathering intelligence directly from the ground, saying: “There are details that satellites cannot capture but can be observed on the ground. These are all very important pieces of information that we believe, if used by the military, would be very dangerous for us.”
He emphasized the risks posed by such data in sensitive locations, including military camps.
“This is very dangerous once the data is used by another military,” Brawner warned.

Press conference to present spying suspects in Manila on January 20, 2025 .
Sleeper agent
Investigators identified Deng as a graduate of the People’s Liberation Army University of Science and Technology in Nanjing, China.
Deng specializes in control and automation engineering, a field critical for designing advanced surveillance systems. Authorities described him as a “sleeper agent” who had lived in the Philippines for over five years.
The NBI seized Deng’s equipment, which included devices capable of producing precise geolocation data. Lotoc explained that the equipment could transmit information to China in real time using advanced satellite technology.
Investigators traced Deng’s activities to a group of six individuals, including a financier based in China. Evidence found on a confiscated phone revealed photos of deposit slips showing amounts ranging from P1.5 million (US$25,785) to P12 million (US$205,080) transferred weekly to shell companies.
Lotoc said that the NBI is investigating whether Deng’s operations were part of a broader Chinese espionage effort or linked to a criminal syndicate. “We are looking at all possibilities to uncover the full extent of this network,” he said.
Legislative action urged
The arrests prompted National Security Adviser Eduardo Año to call for swift legislative reforms. On January 21, Año urged Congress to amend the Espionage Act and pass the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence Bill.
“In light of these developments, we urge Congress to prioritize the passage of the amendments to the Espionage Act as well as the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence bill. Strengthening our legal framework is essential to effectively address evolving security threats and to ensure that those who seek to compromise our national security will face the full force of the law,” said Año.
“The arrest of these individuals is a stark reminder of the persistent threats posed by foreign interference and malign influence to the country,” he said.
According to Año, the Philippine government remains committed to countering espionage and threats to national security, emphasizing the need for vigilance, agency coordination, and proactive measures to protect critical infrastructure and defense facilities.
He lauded the AFP, NBI, and intelligence community for their successful operation, describing it as a testament to their vigilance and commitment to safeguarding the country.
Meanwhile, the AFP assured the public that it is intensifying efforts to prevent espionage and similar threats.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said that the military conducts continuous operations to detect and deter such activities. “We are doing due diligence in detecting the presence of these forces and of course deterring anything else that they would be doing in the future,” she said.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea, emphasized the strategic importance of information in modern geopolitics.
“Any foreign power who would like to take advantage of a country, in this particular case our beloved Philippines, would need information, political information, economic information, in the informational domain, and military information,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
As the investigation continues, Año urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to authorities. He said that they would take all necessary steps to protect the welfare of the Filipino people and the sovereignty of the country.
The arrest came as maritime confrontations between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea have escalated in recent months. China claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
Government vows to identify foreign accomplices
The country’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) vowed on January 22 to identify the foreign accomplices of Deng, after verifying his records. The BI confirmed that Deng has traveled in and out of the Philippines since 2015 and is married to a Filipino.
“We will ensure that we identify any foreign cohorts who might be assisting him in the country,” said BI Commissioner Joel Viado.
“These alleged spies have no place in the President’s Bagong Pilipinas. They will face serious punishment for their crimes,” he added.
Viado said the BI has shared the suspect’s details with the Department of Justice and the NBI to support their investigation. The BI also initiated deportation proceedings and plans to file charges against the suspect.
However, he assured the public that the bureau would delay the deportation until local accountability and penalties are fully addressed.
All photos credit: Department of Justice/National Bureau of Investigation
Top photo: Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation presented three individuals, including a Chinese national, suspected of spying on military facilities and critical infrastructure, to the media in Manila on January 20, 2025.