INQUIRER file photo / ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines – The Chinese national who was arrested for alleged espionage activities in the country was found to have studied in an institution run by the Chinese military, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday.

“We discovered that he was a product of a university run by the People’s Liberation Army. He is an Information technology specialist and what he does is gather information on the so-called infrastructures that are critical here in the Philippines,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in an interview with PTV’s Mike Abe Live program.

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Viado said further probe is underway to determine the real motive of the foreigner who he said is staying in the country since 2013.

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“We discovered that he is embedded here in the Philippines. He was here as early as 2013, going back and forth, going in and out of the Philippines,” he said.

The Chinese national is married to a Filipina and has a child, Viado added.

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Viado added that they would initiate deportation proceedings against him, aside from other cases that will be filed before local courts.

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READ: AFP sees links among Chinese spy, recovered drones, falsified PH IDs

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The Chinese national and his two Filipino cohorts were arrested on Jan. 17 by National Bureau of Investigation operatives at a condominium in Makati City for alleged espionage activities in key military and civilian infrastructure in the country.

Meanwhile, the bureau has intensified the use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as part of modernizing its processes.

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“Also based on the President’s directive, we want to intensify the use of Artificial Intelligence, modernization of our border control so that we know who is entering and exiting the Philippines,” Viado said.

“But one key here in our program is the President’s directive to modernize, not only the facilities but also our intelligence gathering in border control capability. That’s the most important thing,” he added.

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