Palace warns gov’t workers to stay vigilant after espionage probe

Malacañang on Thursday reminded government employees to remain vigilant and protect sensitive information following reports that Filipino nationals were involved in alleged espionage activities linked to foreign actors.

Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said security agencies had already addressed the operations after they were uncovered under the government’s Insider Threat Program.

“According to the National Security Council, individuals have been identified as being involved in espionage and foreign-directed malign activities, and these operations were immediately addressed by our security agencies under the Insider Threat Program,” Castro said in Filipino in a Viber message to reporters.

The Palace urged government workers to be cautious in handling official information and to exercise critical judgment in their day-to-day responsibilities.

“Guard your offices, protect sensitive government information, and ensure that it is not compromised by actors who may pose a threat to national security,” Castro added.

Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla confirmed that authorities had uncovered and disrupted activities involving Filipino nationals suspected of cooperating with foreign actors.

Padilla referred to a statement from the National Security Council saying a “serious national security matter” involving espionage activities linked to the People’s Republic of China had been exposed.

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 the individuals involved, all Filipino nationals, had confessed to participating in espionage activities and are cooperating with authorities.