A Chinese national carrying a telephone eavesdropping device was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday while roaming near the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.
The man, who reportedly holds a Macau passport, was caught with an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) catcher — a device capable of intercepting mobile phone communications. According to NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin, authorities had been monitoring the suspect prior to his arrest due to concerns over his presence near sensitive government offices.
“He has been under surveillance, and we grew alarmed when he approached such a critical facility,” Lavin said in an Inquirer.net report. He stressed, however, that authorities are still verifying whether any sensitive data was captured through the seized device.
Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia sought to allay fears, assuring the public that no election-related data was compromised. “Our main systems are not housed in our headquarters,” Garcia explained, noting that their databases are located in Laguna. After conducting tests, he confirmed, “nothing was compromised on any of our systems.”
Despite reassurances, poll watchdog Kontra Daya called for heightened vigilance. “The Comelec should be concerned why someone carrying such devices was caught,” convenor Danilo Arao said in a message to INQUIRER.net, warning that the poll body appears to be under surveillance by “nefarious characters.”
The incident follows growing concerns over alleged Chinese interference in the upcoming midterm elections. During a Senate hearing last week, officials from the National Security Council and lawmakers raised alarms about possible foreign meddling, including alleged payments for a “troll farm” aimed at influencing public opinion. China’s foreign ministry has since denied any involvement, maintaining that Beijing adheres to a strict non-interference policy.
