PNP files raps vs Chinese man found keeping hacking devices

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has filed a complaint for cybercrime against a Chinese national who was arrested seven months ago in Makati City, where authorities found him allegedly keeping an unlicensed firearm, an aerial drone and several electronic equipment believed to have been acquired for espionage or a hacking operation.

The PNP, through the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), accused Yuhang Liu of “illegal interception” and “misuse of devices,” which are offenses covered by the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Liu is currently detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) Custodial Facility at Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City. The CIDG complaint was filed at the Quezon City prosecutor’s office on Monday.

READ: PH target of state-backed hackers from China – NICA

Coerced delivery

“The case was supported by sworn affidavits from the complainant and witnesses, which thoroughly detailed the facts and evidence,” the CIDG said in a statement.

Liu was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and suspected hacking devices in Barangay San Isidro, Makati, in May after police received a tip that he was coercing a Filipino contact to deliver the equipment to the suspect’s residence in Parañaque City.

The police also searched his vehicle during the arrest and found an antenna system, some battery units, a solar inverter, a radio receiver and transmitter, a router, a computer tablet, laptop and cell phones.

A follow-up search at his condo unit in Parañaque yielded a drone, an inverter unit, a computer central processing unit, a portable power station and several other pieces of equipment.

Rearrested

The CIDG first charged Liu with illegal possession of firearms shortly after the arrest, then sought a cyberwarrant from a local court in order to access data in the confiscated devices.

Liu managed to post bail in July, but the BI rearrested him for “undesirability and for being an overstaying alien,” the bureau said in a separate statement in July.

According to the BI, Liu arrived in the country in July 2018 and his last visa update allowed him to stay only up to August 2022.