Filipino spies’ motives behind Chinese-linked espionage: 'all financial'

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Saturday that the recent alleged espionage activities of three Filipinos for China were purely financial, supposedly involving hefty salaries and bonuses from their Chinese handlers.

According to a "24 Oras" Weekend report by John Consulta on Saturday, PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad revealed that the alleged spies were earning four- to six-digit compensation for the information they provided, and also received large bonuses.

“The modus operandi here is all financial,” he said.

One of the alleged spies from 2023 to 2025 had earlier mentioned a similar motivation, stating that he realized too late he was spying for China but absolutely needed the money from it.

Trinidad noted that the money was delivered to the spies through digital wallets or food couriers.

He also said that one of the spies felt guilty upon seeing PCG personnel harmed during one of the previous aggressive maneuvers from China and blew the whistle when a foreign woman attempted to recruit him for sensitive information.

PCG noted that the recruitment coincided with the time when back-to-back espionage activities were being uncovered within the country.

“Kasabay ito ni Alice Guo, we have yung may hawak na MC catcher, yung may hawak na LIDAR… ‘Yung Palawan 5 who were installing CCTVs in the approaches to Ulugan Bay, yung nakuha natin sa Grande Island and Chiquita Island,” said Trinidad.

(This coincided with Alice Guo case, the one who had an MC Catcher, the one with LIDAR… The Palawan 5 who were installing CCTVs in the approaches to Ulugan Bay, and the ones we caught at Grande Island and Chiquita Island.)

“If we start connecting the dots over the years, makikita natin merong threat… (we can see there is a threat…) Attempts to be able to infiltrate in a very subtle way to extract information from us, information which could be derogatory or dangerous.

It could endanger the lives ng ating mga kapwang Pilipino, (of our fellow Filipino)” he added.

Earlier, PCG shared that they have nabbed three Filipinos involved in Chinese-linked espionage and foreign-directed malign activities in the country.

Described as a “serious national security matter,” the alleged spies reportedly used a mobile game that doubled as a messaging app once the correct password was provided.

“The operations of these individuals acting on the behest of Chinese Intelligence have been addressed and terminated,” the National Security Council (NSC) said.

“Nonetheless, necessary actions have been taken against the individuals concerned – all Filipino nationals – who have all confessed their complicity in espionage activities and are cooperating with authorities,” it added.—Jiselle Anne Casucian/MCG, GMA Integrated News