Tarriela cedes WPS ops data breach

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it is coordinating with multiple government intelligence agencies following reports that sensitive operational information related to activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) may have been leaked to China.

In an interview shortly after a forum in Makati on Friday, PCG spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela emphasized that the individual linked to the alleged information leak was not a member of the PCG but a personality said to be close to Coast Guard personnel.

Security officials said that sensitive operational data, primarily related to rotation and resupply missions in the WPS, was compromised and passed to Chinese intelligence.

The information included schedules, vessel movements and personnel details, which may have enabled China to position its coast guard and militia vessels in advance of Philippine operations.

The PCG clarified that no PCG member was involved in the leak. Instead, the suspect was described as a “personality close to Coast Guard personnel” who extracted details from an unwitting officer, possibly in Palawan, a key base for WPS activities.

Spy pinpointed

The person reportedly had access through ties rather than official channels.

On 5 March, authorities arrested three Filipinos accused of spying for China. These individuals had affiliations with the Department of National Defense and the Philippine Navy, and had indirect links to the PCG.

They allegedly provided lists of military personnel and operational intel to Chinese handlers.

The National Security Council described the breach as “alarming but limited,” noting that transmission channels have been secured, though more arrests could follow.

Investigations suggested this was part of a larger Chinese effort to undermine the country’s sovereignty, including through informants who may have been recruited through financial incentives or coercion.

Tarriela emphasized that while no “top secret” information was compromised, as attested to by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, the operational security of missions was endangered, potentially risking personnel’s lives.

“We are currently coordinating with all intelligence networks of the Philippine government — from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and National Bureau of Investigation — to prevent this kind of leak of sensitive information that we know may be transmitted to China,” he said.

Tarriela added that the incident highlights what he described as China’s continued efforts to undermine Philippine national security and weaken Manila’s position in the WPS.

“I think this incident basically proves that the Chinese government is really doing all possible actions to undermine our national security and also weaken our position, especially when it comes to our operations in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.