The National Security Council (NSC) expressed concern over the arrest of more Chinese nationals allegedly involved in espionage activities in the Philippines, stating that these developments posed a serious threat to national security.

In a statement on Friday, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said the suspicious activities of the five recently arrested individuals, including the surveillance of Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard assets in Palawan province, should not be overlooked as they “could compromise our national security.”

“Their activities near Ulugan Bay and Naval Detachment Oyster Bay in Palawan, as well as their surveillance of Coast Guard stations and naval docks, are serious concerns that warrant a firm and coordinated response,” he said.

Año commended the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP), the National Intelligence and Security Force (NISF), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for their decisive actions during the recent operations that led to the arrest of the five Chinese nationals involved in espionage and intelligence gathering in Palawan.

“The swift and coordinated efforts of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies in tracking, apprehending, and investigating these individuals demonstrate our commitment to preventing any activity that could compromise our national security,” he said.

“This operation also underscores the need for continued vigilance and proactive counterintelligence measures to detect and disrupt any attempts at espionage within our borders,” he added.

These espionage cases come amid heightened tensions between the Philippines and China over territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

Año said the arrested Chinese nationals were placed under surveillance by Philippine military and law enforcement authorities, following the earlier arrest of Deng Yuanqing, along with two Filipino accomplices, who were found conducting aerial reconnaissance and collecting imagery intelligence on Philippine naval assets in parts of Luzon.

He emphasized that the government “remains committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that those found engaging in espionage and intelligence operations are held accountable.”

Año assured the public that the Philippines “will continue to strengthen counterintelligence and monitoring efforts” against similar acts "to bolster our national security.”

China previously accused the Philippines of exaggerating the espionage issue.