The alleged Chinese spy nabbed in Manila has been living in the country for more than a decade and has traveled in and out of the country numerous times since 2013, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the Chinese man first arrived in the Philippines in 2013 and was later issued a permanent residence visa after marrying a 36-year-old Filipina.
Police identified him as Deng Yuanqing, a 39-year-old businessman.
“We are working with the Department of Justice (DOJ) as well as other law enforcement agencies to investigate the said spy, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to safeguard national security,” Viado said.
The BI chief said that they are supplying Philippine intelligence authorities with the information needed to identify links to the said Chinese man.
“We are not taking this lightly. Any threat to our sovereignty will warrant the full action of BI, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies,” he added.
Viado said they are initiating deportation proceedings against the Chinese man, but will defer implementation until he faces the expected local cases to be filed against him.