A series of arrests since December bared how deep hi-tech Chinese espionage has been going on, perhaps even in the last five years, or earlier. A press conference by Soundbytes of ANC Digital revealed the alarming state of these espionage activities, that the public must know. It is not to induce panic but to prepare future coordinated actions between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the public.

In the press conference, Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, NBI Chief of Cybercrime and Special Task Force, revealed the arrest of Teng Wan Ting, PLA University Science Technology based in Nanjing, China. His Rav4 vehicle was reported to have high-tech equipment that had been transmitting data to China in real time.

The massive data transmitted to China defies imagination, and would probably put Edward Snowden, US Pentagon whistle-blower, to shame. Their intel data may perhaps be even better than what the AFP and the National Bureau of Investigation have. Lotoc reported that specialists were also arrested — “a control engineer” and “automation engineer.”

They were said to be conducting deep monitoring of EDCA bases, military and police bases and camps, including Fort Bonifacio, Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. They were monitoring power plants, LGU offices, critical infrastructure, even shopping malls.

They recorded detailed terrain and topography (perhaps for future drone attacks). They used a “global communication satellite system” capable of high-end mapping, navigation, artillery and missiles guidance systems. They have also culled logistics and supply-chain data, vital in times of war. They have produced 3D imaging of targets. They have a network of key local informants at their fingertips. If war breaks out tomorrow, they were ready for it.

Lotoc added that China now has data on power grids, electrical generators, geothermal and natural gas plants, seaports and airports. A “route map” of the entire Luzon hints that the espionage is deep and massive in terms of area covered. The AFP-NBI team theorized that similar espionage activities will later be replicated covering Visayas and Mindanao, although it cannot be discounted that they already have those by now.

The AFP-NBI team was up to the task, culling the capabilities of the high-tech spy equipment confiscated. AFP chief General Romeo Brawner reported that their team was able to monitor the spy activities even before the arrests. He said that the infamous Masbate underwater drone was one of five intel data they have gathered.

He said they have confiscated powerful data collecting devices. Brawner said that we have our own tech people to look into their tech people and equipment. Finally, he said, espionage may be related to clandestine POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) activities, enterprises that have had the cyber equipment to do espionage work. They also had experts in secrecy the espionage networks require.

We realize how serious the situation is with such massive data in their hands, and how dangerous it will be for us if war breaks out. We need the help of forensic and cybercrime experts from the US (calling on Trump).

Perhaps it would have been better if the press conference was delayed, as US experts could have eavesdropped on actual espionage activities and get deeper data. The press conference has preempted future things we have not yet discovered. Now, the Chinese had been given a warning to employ more security and caution.

It must be clarified that there are potentially five types of participation from locals — 1) low-end couriers and drivers, 2) those with special technical or information technology skills easy to train, 3) military spies embedded in the AFP and CGP, 4) government spies, especially at the LGU levels, down to the smallest villages and barangays, and 5) powerful solons and politicians.

Cyber espionage is cheap compared to a network of human spies. China has mined deeply massive data on everything and everyone, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars instead of millions, without resorting to an all-out invasion, not yet.

We recommend to the President, present or future, to install a National Security Administration-type office to look into everything. Let us institutionalize counter-espionage before we are overwhelmed completely.