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NBI nabs Chinese with surveillance equipment near Comelec office

Philippine News Agency

By Benjamin Pulta
April 29, 2025, 7:57 pm

MANILA -- Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Tuesday a Chinese national in possession of electronic eavesdropping equipment near the Commission on Elections (Comelec) building in Intramuros, Manila.

NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said the foreigner is identified as Tak Hoi Lao on his Macao passport.

Seized from the suspect was a gray Mitsubishi Adventure with an electronic equipment laid out behind the back seat cooled by a make shift fan to prevent overheating.

The equipment has been identified as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catcher, capable of intercepting mobile phone communications and tracking location data from other gadgets.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Lavin said investigators are now collating evidence and that the subject may be brought for inquest "before the close of office hours" on Wednesday.

He said they are eyeing the filing of violation of the Anti-Espionage Act in relation to the Anti-Cybercrime Law against the suspect.

The foreigner, meanwhile, told reporters in broken English that he was merely a tourist and that another person owned the vehicle.

Rage bait

In a separate development, NBI Director Jaime Santiago urged the public to be vigilant against the spread of fake news and "rage bait" in social media.

Santiago said rage bait are posts in social media made to stir anger, leading to more engagement and reactions that further promote the social media content.

"People should be aware of what a rage bait is. When we encounter these posts, one should try to relax and calm down before engaging with it. This allows us to think before we act and avoid promoting this on social media algorithm," he said in a statement.

Santiago said not all information found on social media is accurate, and advised the public to rely only on trustworthy media outlets and content creators.

He also underscored the importance of distinguishing between false information and factual information by identifying primary and secondary sources.

"Primary sources are based on first-hand accounts or direct evidence, while secondary sources interpret and analyze information from primary sources, typically created by individuals who have expertise in a particular topic," he said.

Santiago encouraged everyone to fact-check information on social media and verify the credibility of the author of any post before believing it or even sharing it. (PNA)