US Ally Suspects Spy Was Behind Chinese Blockades A suspected spy likely provided China with the intelligence needed to anticipate and block Philippine efforts to resupply a military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, according to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela. The claim was made in an interview with The Philippine Star, where Tarriela stated that the leaked information pertained to supply operations for the rusting World War II-era warship BRP Sierra Madre, which is stationed on the shoal. Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines and Ren’ai Reef in China, is an uninhabited feature in the South China Sea. China claims most of the region, including Scarborough Shoal, and has repeatedly intercepted Philippine supply missions since 2023. These intercepts have led to clashes that resulted in injuries and raised concerns about the potential for conflict under the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States. Tarriela suggested the suspected informant, believed to have ties to a member of the Philippine Coast Guard, exploited a lapse in record-keeping to access and transfer sensitive operational details to China. He did not identify the individual involved, emphasizing that the breach posed a significant risk to the Philippines’ legitimate operations in the West Philippine Sea. The allegations come two days after reports revealed that the Philippines’ National Security Council uncovered a network involving Chinese nationals recruiting Filipinos working in defense or security roles into “consultancies” that sought classified information. Tarriela hinted at the financial incentives behind the espionage, stating, “A large amount of money was being paid” to the informant.#china #philippine_national_security_council #philippine_coast_guard #jay_tarriela #second_thomas_shoal
