MANILA— The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raised concerns about alleged Chinese spies using civic groups as a cover to infiltrate local government units (LGUs) and gather sensitive information.

The claims come after a report surfaced that arrested Chinese nationals involved in espionage activities, allegedly donated cash and motorbikes to various Philippine cities and police units.

According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, while there is no direct malice in receiving such donations, they believe that these acts may be part of a broader scheme to manipulate local officials and gather intelligence.

“‘Yun ang style nila para maka-come out sila openly sa community and mingle with our officials. Delikado ‘yun,” Santiago said.

The NBI claimed that some individuals involved with these organizations could be "sleepers," or covert operatives using civic groups as a front.

“Nagtatayo sila ng civic organization kuno or ‘yung iba nag-asawa na dito para ma-justify nila ang retain nila sa Philippines,” he said.

"’Pag ‘yung nakiki-co-mingle ka na sa kanila, alam mo kaibigan sila, nagkukwentuhan kayo, you may even relay some information to them na gusto nilang malaman,” he warned. “Bini-friend nila eh, ang mga tao.”

The NBI, in collaboration with the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), will launch an investigation into the matter.