MANILA – The National Security Council (NSC) claimed that the three Filipinos who were arrested for alleged espionage in Beijing, China are ordinary citizens.
According to NSC spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, the three Filipinos are former recipients of the Hainan Government Scholarship Program established under the sisterhood agreement between the provinces of Hainan and Palawan.
“They are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and were vetted and screened by the Chinese government prior to their arrival there,” Malaya said in a statement.
Malaya also raised doubts over the arrested Filipinos’ supposed “scripted” confessions after mentioning a non-existing government agency.
“A portion of one of the Filipino’s statement, while expressing regret, also notably portrayed China in a positive light. There was also mention of a Philippine Intelligence Agency or Philippine Spy Intelligence Services which is a non-existing government agency,” he said.
“Given the limited information released by Chinese media, the arrests can be seen as a retaliation for the series of legitimate arrests of Chinese agents and accomplices by Philippine law enforcement and counter-intelligence agencies in recent months,” he added.
Malaya also urged the Filipino people to remain vigilant and discerning in the face of these accusations.
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the government would provide all the necessary assistance to the three Filipinos detained in China over alleged espionage.
“The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is providing all necessary assistance, including appropriate legal support, for the said Filipinos,” said DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza.
Daza added that these allegations should be tried with due process and with full respect to the rights of the said Filipinos in accordance with domestic law as well as the Philippines-China Consular Agreement./PN
