By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday alerted all police units to monitor and neutralize potential espionage activities nationwide.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. issued the directive following the arrest of a Mongolian aviation student with ties to China for allegedly engaging in espionage-related activities in Iba, Zambales.
“The safety and security of our nation remain our top priority,” Nartatez said in a statement on Wednesday. “We must remain vigilant and proactive in identifying and neutralizing any threats, especially those involving espionage.”
He tasked every police unit to “stay alert and act swiftly to protect our national interests.”
The 30-year-old Mongolian man was arrested on Feb. 12 by operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), in close coordination with the police, military and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, at an aviation school where the suspect was a graduating student.
Intelligence reports indicate that the suspect took aerial photos of the Iba airport and the nearby Palauig River area, about five nautical miles from the airport.
The suspect, it turns out, is actually a licensed jet fighter pilot for the Chinese military.
The National Security Council said the suspect concealed his military background and service with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), especially his jet fighter license from the PLA Air Force Aviation University. (PNA)
