The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday confirmed that it is aware of reports regarding the dismantling of an alleged espionage network operating in the country.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said authorities had uncovered activities involving Filipino nationals suspected of cooperating with foreign actors.

“Authorities have uncovered and disrupted activities involving Filipino nationals cooperating with investigators, which appear to be linked to foreign-directed malign activities,” Padilla said.

Padilla was referring to a statement earlier released by the National Security Council (NSC) that a “serious national security matter” involving espionage activities linked to the People’s Republic of China had been uncovered.

NSC spokesperson Cornelio Valencia Jr. said the operations of individuals acting “on the behest of Chinese intelligence” had already been addressed and terminated.

He added that all individuals involved, who are Filipino nationals, had confessed to participating in espionage activities and are cooperating with authorities.

The apprehensions were carried out through coordinated efforts by several government agencies under the Insider Threat Program, which aims to safeguard sensitive government information and operations from foreign espionage and malicious compromise.

“This development highlights how modern espionage increasingly utilizes cyber and technological methods, making vigilance and inter-agency cooperation more important than ever. The situation was detected and addressed through coordinated government action among relevant security and law enforcement agencies,” Padilla said.

“The AFP supports ongoing efforts to strengthen safeguards that protect our national security, including the continuing improvement of legal and institutional frameworks to address evolving threats,” she added.

Padilla said the military could not disclose further operational details for security reasons.

“However, for national security reasons, we cannot disclose further operational details,” she said.

“At the same time, the Philippines continues to maintain constructive diplomatic engagement with all countries,” Padilla added.

Earlier, the AFP also warned that cyber threats targeting the Philippines from China-based actors are intensifying in 2026 amid geopolitical tensions.

AFP Cyber Command chief Brigadier General Joey Fontiveros said the country continues to face persistent cyber attacks linked to territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

“The country's cybersecurity landscape in 2026 is characterized by escalating threats driven by geopolitical tensions, rapid digital transformation and a sophisticated adversary environment, particularly from state-sponsored actors,” Fontiveros said.

“From a security and defense viewpoint, the country faces persistent cyber attacks linked to territorial disputes in the WPS with China-based malicious actors deploying malware, DDOS attacks, data leaks and website compromises to advance Beijing's regional ambition,” he added.