Metro Manila, Philippines – A House leader called on the Department of Defense to beef up security measures across key government facilities, military installations, and embassies nationwide after the recent arrest of Chinese spies.
In a statement on Sunday, Zambales 1st District Representative Jay Khonghun said internal security protocols should be reviewed and strengthened, warning that foreign intelligence operations “could already be deeply embedded within national security infrastructures.”
“Hindi sapat ang simpleng pagkondena. Kailangan nating palakasin ang ating counterintelligence, tiyakin na may sapat tayong teknolohiya para mapigilan ang paniniktik, at palawakin ang koordinasyon ng ating mga ahensya,” Khonghun said.
[Translation: Mere condemnation is not enough. We need to strengthen our counterintelligence, make sure we have enough technology to stop espionage, and expand the coordination of our agencies.]
This comes after two Chinese and three Filipinos were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation on Feb. 20 for allegedly spying on the Palace, the military, and the police.
The Chinese Embassy has denied having spies in the country, calling reports of the arrests “baseless accusation and speculation aimed at smearing China and Chinese citizens.”
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has previously addressed these issues, urging foreign entities to respect Philippine sovereignty but Khonghun insisted that calling out foreigners should not be enough.
Khonghun also urged the public to remain vigilant and to report suspicious activities.
