Four Chinese nationals accused by the Philippines of espionage led Chinese Communist Party-affiliated groups that made donations of cash to a Philippine city and vehicles to two police forces, according to photos, videos and online posts.
Wang Yongyi, Wu Junren, Cai Shaohuang and Chen Haitao were among five Chinese men detained by Philippine investigators in late January for allegedly gathering images and maps of Philippine naval forces near the South China Sea.
The five men had flown drones to spy on the Philippines' navy, said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), adding that it had found photos and maps of sensitive sites and vessels on their phones. A senior NBI official said that the men had been charged with espionage, which carries a prison term of up to 20 years.
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