DBPH Admin2 
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), under the leadership of NBI Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago (Ret.), arrested five (5) individuals on February 20, 2025, for violation of the Espionage Act.
After the arrest of several Chinese nationals and some Filipinos last month for the same offense, 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.
On February 14, 2025, the NBI-Cybercrime Division (CCD) and NBI-Special Task Force (STF) were alerted on suspicious vehicles purportedly utilizing IMSI catchers, frequenting military and police camps, other essential systems, facilities, and national government assets within Metro Manila.
CCD and STF Agents validated the information and identified actionable intelligence via 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.
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.
Given the significant implication of the powerful tools with regard to national security and people’s right to privacy, simultaneous interdiction operations were hatched on February 20, 2025.
The interdiction operations resulted in the arrest of Omar Khan Kashim Joveres, Leo Laraya Pantiand Mark Angelo Boholst Binza .
They said that they were commissioned by Ni Qinhui, Chinese national residing in a condominium in Malate, Manila.
They further alleged that they were instructed to drive through key areas, including Villamor Airbase, Camp Aguinaldo, Malacañang, Camp Crame, and the U.S. Embassy, among others, for a fee of 2,500,00 to 3,000.00 a month.
Thus, NBI Agents proceeded to Qinhui’s residence, and through coordinated efforts, he was eventually arrested together with his cohort Zheng Wel Qinhui’s wife admitted that Qinhui had several ICT equipment (IMSI catchers) in their condominium unit, and he did employ Omar, Leo, and Mark to run and operate the same ICT equipment within Metro Manila. To prove that she has nothing to do with it, Melody voluntarily surrendered multiple sets of said equipment (IMSI catchers, among others), to the NBI operatives.
Arrested Subjects underwent inquest proceedings before the Office of the State Prosecutor, Department of Justice, for violations of R.A. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012) and Commonwealth Act No. 616 (Espionage)
