On January 17, 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Yuanqing Deng, a Chinese software engineer, along with two Filipino associates, Ronel Jojo Besa and Jayson Amado Fernandez. The trio was allegedly conducting unauthorized surveillance across Metro Manila and the greater Luzon area. The operation included the collection of detailed images of terrains and structures without government authorization, raising red flags about potential threats to national security.