NATIONAL Security Adviser Eduardo Año assured the public Friday, March 6, 2026, that Filipinos arrested for alleged espionage linked to China did not access "top secret" information.
In an interview with reporters, Año said compromised information was "sensitive" but did not reach the level of top secret classification.
“Sabihin natin na may ibang sensitive katulad noong sa schedule ng mga Rore (rotation and resupply mission) before, may mga ibang usapan na within internal, pero walang damage sa atin,” Año said.
(Let’s say there are other sensitive matters, like the schedule of the Rore before. There were some discussions that were kept internal, but there was no damage on our side.)
Año urged National Government personnel to report recruitment attempts by foreign forces immediately.
The National Security Council reported that three Filipinos detained for alleged China-linked espionage admitted to obtaining sensitive information regarding operations in the West Philippine Sea.
Two detainees previously worked with the Department of National Defense and the Philippine Navy. A third detainee had access to a Philippine Coast Guard officer.
In a phone interview, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said one arrested individual was a former researcher for the Department of National Defense.
Trinidad said the recruitment occurred through an online job search platform.
“So may kokontak sa kanila, 'would you like to work for..as we are a consulting firm, you will be a columnist or analyst ka et cetera. Could you submit to us your example of your write-up o yung output mo,'” Trinidad said.
(So, someone will contact them. “Would you like to work for…? As we are a consulting firm, you would be a columnist or an analyst, etc. Could you submit to us an example of your write-up or your output?”)
“Then, pag-submit ‘yan, before you know it, they will slowly tell you what to write about. And may financial consideration ito. If they like what you are writing, may papadala silang pera. Through GCash or yung other electronic means of transferring,” he said.
In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the military sees no need for loyalty checks.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines already maintains established security vetting, monitoring, and counterintelligence measures to safeguard the integrity of our personnel and protect sensitive information,” the AFP said.
“These existing safeguards form part of the broader government effort that recently uncovered and disrupted espionage and foreign-directed malign activities operating within the country through coordinated action among authorities. The individuals involved are cooperating with investigators, and the matter is being addressed through lawful processes,” the statement said. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)