The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) nabbed five individuals on February 20, for the violation of the Espionage Act.
In a press release on Tuesday, February 25, the NBI revealed that an intel packet from the intelligence service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) revealed numerous vehicles equipped with unauthorized International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers conducting signal intelligence. This came after the arrest of several Chinese nationals and some Filipinos in January, for the same offense.
On February 14, the NBI-Cybercrime Division (CCD) and the NBI-Special Task Force (STF) were alerted about the suspicious vehicles utilizing IMSI catchers. The press release furthered that it was also frequenting military and police camps, other essential systems, facilities, and national government assets, within Metro Manila.
The CCD and STF agents validated the information and identified actionable intelligence through network monitoring, interference detection, and signal analysis tools.
“Systems were employed to locate and analyze rogue or unlicensed BTS, unauthorized transmissions, and interference sources which yielded positive results,” the NBI said.
“A Rogue BTS is an unauthorized or malicious base station that impersonates a legitimate cellular tower to intercept, manipulate, or disrupt mobile network communications. It is often used for unauthorized surveillance, eavesdropping, data theft, and network disruption,” it added.
“Given the significant implication of the powerful tools about national security and people’s right to privacy, simultaneous interdiction operations were hatched on February 20, 2025,” it continued.
The operations resulted in the arrest of five individuals. The suspects claimed they were commissioned by a Chinese national residing in a condominium in Malate, Manila. According to the five suspects, they were instructed to drive through the key areas, specifying Villamor Airbase, Camp Aguinaldo, Malacañang, Camp Crame, and the U.S. Embassy, for a fee of 2,500 to 3,000 a month.
The NBI agents proceeded to the Chinese national’s residence, where the latter was eventually arrested with his cohort. The suspect’s wife admitted to the former possessing several IMSI catchers and employing the five individuals to run and operate the same equipment within Metro Manila.
As proof, the wife voluntarily surrendered multiple sets of the IMSI catchers to the operatives.
Under NBI Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago's (Ret.) guidance, the operatives conducted a successful arrest. The suspects underwent inquest proceedings before the Office of the State Prosecutor and the Department of Justice (DOJ), for violations of R.A. 10715 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) and Commonwealth Act No. 616 (Espionage).
