Philippines Protests China's Arrest of Three Alleged Spies
"They Did Not Receive Military Training... Studying in China on Official Invitation"
The Philippine government has strongly protested, accusing China of fabricating charges of espionage against three of its nationals studying in China. In addition to tensions over territorial claims in the South China Sea, spy conflicts between the two countries have also surfaced.
According to foreign media including Bloomberg and AFP on the 6th (local time), the Philippine National Security Council (NSC) stated that the three Filipinos arrested in Hainan Province, China, were students who had never undergone military training and were studying in China on scholarships under an agreement between Palawan Province in the Philippines and Hainan Province.
Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson for the Philippine NSC, emphasized, "They are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and underwent government screening before entering China." He added, "This arrest is retaliation for the recent exposure of Chinese spies in the Philippines."
On the 3rd, Chinese media reported that three Filipinos residing in China?David Servenez, Albert Endencia, and Natalie Plijardo?were arrested by authorities for espionage activities, including filming confidential military-related footage. Chinese state media China Central Television (CCTV) also released recorded confessions. However, the Philippine side questioned the credibility of these confessions, stating they did not appear voluntary.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated that it is cooperating with its diplomatic missions in China to ensure that those arrested receive appropriate legal support. Meanwhile, since early this year, the Philippines has arrested 12 Chinese espionage suspects on charges of filming military facilities and other sites.
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