Philippines ramps up efforts to uncover alleged Chinese espionage, but can its laws catch up?

Officials have long called for an update to its World War II-era espionage law, which may not be sufficient to address modern threats

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Chinese nationals and their alleged Philippine accomplices, arrested for alleged espionage, are presented during a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation office in Manila on February 25. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:30pm, 12 Mar 2025

In under three months, the Philippines has ramped up its counter-intelligence efforts, leading to a raft of arrests and investigations into suspected espionage activities in the country.

Now, observers are stressing the urgency of updating the country’s anti-spying laws, but there are concerns whether a new crop of lawmakers will prioritise such legislation following the country’s midterm elections in May.

Law enforcement officers in the Philippines had uncovered an alleged espionage network of “hundreds” of Chinese agents, with eight more suspects set to be detained later this month, Bloomberg reported.

The development follows recent investigations into alleged spy networks that led the Philippine National Police to investigate the donation of motorcycles to police forces in Manila and Tarlac City by individuals suspected to be Chinese agents.

In January, authorities detained five Chinese nationals for allegedly posing as Taiwanese tourists to spy on the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy in Palawan – an island strategically close to maritime flashpoints such as the Spratly Islands.

Witnesses reported that these individuals were seen installing surveillance cameras at a resort to monitor maritime activities.