The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has issued a stern warning against individuals aiding foreign spies in the country, vowing to take legal action against them for violating Philippine laws.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said they are working closely with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to gather intelligence on suspected foreign spies, including those previously arrested by the NBI and others under military surveillance.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the foreign nationals in question hold regular immigration status in the Philippines, raising concerns that they have successfully integrated into local communities while carrying out covert activities.
“Should we confirm that there are individuals — whether Filipinos or foreign nationals — that hid or assisted these alleged spies, we will file cases against them for harboring illegal aliens, in violation of Section 46 of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940,” Viado said.
He emphasized that the BI is committed to filing the necessary charges against both the suspects and their accomplices, ensuring they face the full extent of the law and the strictest possible penalties. This, he added, aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to safeguard national security and protect the country from foreign threats.
Viado’s statement came a day after NBI Director Jaime Santiago and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. presented to the media five Chinese nationals arrested for allegedly conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations in the country.
According to Santiago, the suspects claimed affiliation with civic organizations such as the Qiaoxing Volunteer Group of the Philippines and the Philippine-China Association of Promotion of Peace and Friendship, Inc. They reportedly posed as seafood buyers—particularly of lobsters—and even built relationships with local officials.
The arrests resulted from pursuit operations conducted on January 24 and 25 in Palawan, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.