Manila: A Chinese national was arrested while operating a surveillance system near the offices of the Philippine electoral commission, the authorities announced on Wednesday April 30, less than two weeks before the country's mid-term surveys.
Man used an “ims” recipient “, a device capable of imitating a cell tower and tearing it off from air messages within a radius of 1 to 3 km.
Two Chinese men detained in February were accused of having used the same device while driving near sensitive government and military locations in Manila.
The spokesman for the National Office, Ferdinand Lavin, told AFP that the last arrest was made on Tuesday near the offices of the Philippine Elections Commission (COMELEC) after the agents confirmed that the IMSI was in service.
“When we arrested, it was the third time he had come to Comelec,” said Lavin, adding other locations visited, including the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Ministry of Justice and the United States Embassy.
The man arrested held a passport issued by Macao, said Lavin, while a Philippine Driver Hired who cooperated with the operation was not detained. Macao is governed by China.
Calls to the Chinese Embassy in Manila and Comelec were not immediately returned.
