MANILA – Malacañang shut down the inference of Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jinhua that Filipino workers in China could be spying on Chinese government.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo assured that Filipino workers went to China to work and not to serve as spies for the Philippine government.
Panelo added that two Cabinet members, Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Socioeconomic Planning secretary Ernesto Pernia found Zhao’s statement as baseless.
“The Office of the President shares the sentiment of Secretary Lorenzana and Secretary Pernia when they said that overseas Filipino workers went to China for the purpose of work. Moreover, there is no place where they converge to work,” Panelo said.
Zhao told Panelo over the weekend that Filipino workers “could be accused of spying in China” the same way that Chinese workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) near Philippine military bases were accused of espionage.
“The intention to spy on China does not apply to Filipino workers because there are no Filipino Pogo workers near Chinese military camps,” Panelo said. “Moreover, parang nabanggit ko pa na baka masyado tayong security-conscious.”
“Unlike iyong concern ni Secretary Lorenzana, isang lugar lang at malapit sa kampo,” he added. “Foreigners working in the Philippines need not be near the military camps to get intelligence because they can spy on the government if they want.”
Among the Pogo centers in Manila are located at the Araneta Center in Cubao and Eastwood, both near Camp Aguinaldo, while Resorts World in Pasay is close to Villamor Airbase.
Another Pogo center is located at the Island Cove in Cavite, which is across the Naval Base of Sangley Point./PN
