Año: Gov’t on alert vs espionage recruitment, probes possible insider links

The Philippine government remains on alert against possible espionage activities targeting state institutions, even as authorities have already terminated the operations linked to a recently uncovered spy network, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said.

In an ambush interview shortly after a Makati forum, Año confirmed that authorities are continuing to investigate whether other government agencies may have been compromised as part of the alleged espionage activities.

“We cannot divulge the efforts that we are undertaking now. There are still ongoing investigations. But I can assure the public that everything is in check. And we will look at everything,” Año said, declining to identify specific offices or agencies being examined.

He added that the matter involves “national security and we will make sure that their espionage efforts against our country will be foiled.”

Recruitment of insiders

Año warned that foreign intelligence efforts commonly begin with attempts to recruit insiders within government institutions.

“The threat of espionage is always there,” he said. “They always make an effort to recruit sources and insiders in our government.”

He said recruitment attempts often start with seemingly legitimate job offers that later draw individuals into intelligence operations.

“We are asking our countrymen, especially our government employees, to be vigilant… That’s where it will start until you reach a situation where you are already a spy, and you become a traitor to our country,” Año said.

The national security adviser urged government employees to immediately report suspicious approaches to their superiors so authorities can intervene.

Limited information exposed

Año said investigators have so far found that the information obtained in the case was sensitive but did not include top-secret material.

“There is no top secret information in this case,” he said.

However, he noted that some sensitive details were accessed, including internal discussions and operational schedules related to missions such as resupply operations.

Despite this, Año emphasized that the incident did not cause significant damage to the country’s national security.

China embassy denial

The remarks came after the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Philippines denied reports linking China to the espionage case and urged Philippine officials to avoid what it described as “China threat” narratives.

Año declined to comment directly on the embassy’s statement but said espionage operations are often conducted outside diplomatic channels.

“You know, there are many facets to the intelligence operatio. In many cases, the embassies are not involved because the operations are controlled from different ministries, and sometimes even directly from Beijing,” he said.

Long-running investigations

Año also disclosed that some of the espionage activities under investigation date back several years, with authorities still examining linkages and other possible cases.

The intelligence community detected the activities partly through the government’s insider threat program, which was established early in the administration to monitor potential security risks within state institutions.

“This is a collective effort of our intelligence community,” Año said.

He added that authorities remain prepared to counter any further espionage attempts against the country.

“We will make sure that our security forces are always ready and that any plans against us will be countered,” he said.