Authorities have arrested a 30-year-old Mongolian pilot student in Zambales for allegedly conducting aerial surveillance and maintaining ties to the Chinese government, officials said Sunday.

The suspect, identified as Boldbaatar Bold-Erdene, was apprehended Thursday during a joint operation at an aviation school in Barangay Lipay Dingin, Iba. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) led the mission with support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and various intelligence units.

Immigration officials tagged Bold-Erdene as an “undesirable alien,” labeling him a risk to public interest and national safety.

According to intelligence reports, the suspect is a trained jet fighter pilot who allegedly used his civilian flight exercises to take unauthorized aerial photographs of the Iba Airport and the nearby Palauig River.

The BI is investigating his suspected affiliations with the Chinese government, citing the sensitive nature of his activities near the airport, located approximately five nautical miles from his training area.

“The Philippines will not allow its institutions, including civilian training facilities, to be used for activities that may compromise national security,” the bureau said in a statement released from its Manila headquarters. “Our immigration laws are clear — foreign nationals must strictly adhere to the conditions of their stay.”

The operation involved a massive coordination of law enforcement, including the 69th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and multiple units of the Philippine National Police from Central Luzon.

Following his arrest in Zambales, Bold-Erdene was transported to the BI main office in Manila for booking, medical examinations, and biometric processing. He is currently being held at the Bureau of Immigration Warden Facility in Taguig pending deportation proceedings.