Palace vows tighter security after alleged spies caught near gov’t sites

Claire Castro —PHOTO FROM PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

MANILA, Philippines — Palace vowed to tighten security measures after the arrest of two Chinese nationals and three Filipinos allegedly spying at the Malacañang complex and other government facilities in Metro Manila, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Thursday.

At a Palace briefing, Castro was asked for a comment on the alleged spies apprehended by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last February 20.

The NBI’s cybercrime division and special task force were alerted to “suspicious” vehicles equipped with International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers, which were frequently spotted near sensitive sites such as Malacañang, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, and other key government facilities in the National Capital Region.

READ: NBI agents nab 2 more Chinese ‘spies,’ 3 Pinoys

“That news is really alarming, and we will continue and intensify our force to suppress the alleged spies,” Castro said.

“And it is really necessary to tighten the security of our Palace and, of course, the President,” she added.

In a statement on Tuesday, the NBI said it was able to verify the information about the five arrested “spies” through network monitoring, interference detection, and signal analysis.

READ: Marcos ‘very disturbed’ by presence of alleged Chinese spies in Palawan

The apprehended Filipinos, named Omar Khan Joveres, Leo Panti and Mark Angelo Binza, claimed they were hired as drivers by a Chinese national identified as Ni Qinhui, who instructed them to drive in vehicles with the IMSI catchers near key government facilities.

The Filipinos said they were paid P2,500 to P3,000 daily.

They also revealed that Ni was residing in a condominium in Malate, Manila, prompting NBI agents to arrest him with his cohort, Zheng Wei.