US Ally Seizes China Military Spy Car

The Philippines has arrested three people on suspicion of espionage after they were caught with intelligence related to military installations and other sensitive sites, allegedly collected from a vehicle.

Newsweek contacted the Chinese foreign ministry and the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with emailed requests for comment.

Why It Matters

The case comes amid heightened China-Philippine tensions over a longstanding territorial dispute. Beijing’s sweeping claims encompass much of the South China Sea, including the Philippines’ internationally recognized maritime zone. Clashes between the neighbors’ coast guards have resulted in several Philippine injuries and raised the specter of Manila’s Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington.

Further fueling anti-China sentiment is the case of Alice Guo, a mayor accused of spying for China and having links to illegal online scamming centers, often run by Chinese nationals and tied to criminal activities such as human-trafficking. Guo has pled not guilty.

What to Know

The NBI on Friday arrested a Chinese national with the surname Deng, and two male Philippine associates, called Besa and Fernande.

The law enforcement action followed a bureau investigation triggered by naval operatives’ report on a group of Chinese citizens suspected of conducting surveillance under the guise of developing an autonomous vehicle.

Officials learned Deng, a software engineer specializing in control engineering, has connections with China’s military-affiliated People’s Liberation Army University of Science and Technology, according to a bureau press release.

The bureau identified three other suspects in the surveillance operation, including two unnamed hardware engineers and a financier, a woman known as Wang. All three individuals are believed to be in China.

Deng was operating ICT equipment when officials approached the car in Metro Manila’s Makati City. Asked about his identity and to provide authorization, Deng tried to hide his equipment and flee, prompting the officials to take him and his companions into custody.

A search of the equipment in the vehicle revealed a range of sensitive information “comprising topographic footage mapping the critical infrastructures of the Philippines, among others,” the report said.

The vehicle was tracked “traversing to and fro” on Luzon island as Deng collected detailed imaging data from between December 13, 2024, and January 16.

NBI Cybercrime Division head Jeremy Lotoc told reporters Monday that Deng is suspected of being a “sleeper” agent or mole who has been in the Philippines for five years, the Philippine Inquirer reported.

Fernandez and Besa reportedly admitted to having acted as Deng assistant and driver, taking the engineer to police and military headquarters as well as government offices and power installations, the Inquirer cited officials as saying.

The military sites of interest included those being jointly operated alongside the U.S. under the allies’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner Jr. told reporters.

What People Are Saying

Eduardo Ano, the Philippine national security adviser, said:

“The recent apprehensions highlight the need for continuous vigilance, strengthened coordination among government agencies and proactive measures to fortify our national security framework.”

The Armed Forces of the Philippines wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“The AFP remains vigilant in its duty to defend the country against all kinds of threats to national security.”

What’s Next

Ano urged the Philippine Congress to prioritize passing the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence Bill and pending amendments to the Espionage Act.

“Strengthening our legal framework is essential to effectively address evolving security threats and ensure that those who seek to compromise our national security will face the full force of the law,” he added.