Philippine military uncovers alleged new Beijing spy tactics in South China Sea row

2026.03.22 05:20 A Philippine vessel distributes supplies in the contested South China Sea last month. Photo: China’s coastguard/Xinhua At least three Filipinos with ties to the country’s military have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing, allegedly leaking information that sparked maritime confrontations in the disputed South China Sea. The case, which came to light last year during an ongoing multi-agency counter-intelligence effort, marks a new strategy of recruiting Filipinos for espionage instead of planting individuals with fake local identities in the country, according to Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad. China has rejected the allegations, calling them “malicious smears”. One suspect allegedly used a modified mobile phone with a messaging app concealed within the video game Tetris to communicate with handlers, while payoffs involved cash hidden in fake food deliveries. The three did not work together, even though two were overseen by the same person. “What we are seeing are individuals operating through a similar modus operandi, some of those involved appear to have acted independently while being approached through comparable recruitment channels,” Trinidad told This Week in Asia. Debriefings revealed that some of these activities have been “ongoing for several months to a few years, depending on the individual case”, he said. The Chinese embassy in Manila denied links to the trio. “We firmly oppose and strongly deplore irresponsible remarks made by certain Philippine agencies peddling so-called Chinese spy narratives. China follows the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs,” spokesman Ji Lingpeng said earlier this month. Officers conduct access and control training aboard a China coastguard vessel in the disputed South China Sea on March 8. Photo: Xinhua The Philippines and China remain locked in a long-standing maritime row over territory in the resource-rich waterway, trading accusations of boat-

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