Camille Naredo

Chinese flags are seen on buildings in the Huangpu district in Shanghai on February 20, 2025. Hector Retamal, AFP

Chinese flags are seen on buildings in the Huangpu district in Shanghai on February 20, 2025. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)

Article (news)

CHINA

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744010129503AFP__20250220__36Y933X__v1__Preview__ChinaEconomy.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Chinese flags are seen on buildings in the Huangpu district in Shanghai on February 20, 2025. Hector Retamal, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Chinese flags are seen on buildings in the Huangpu district in Shanghai on February 20, 2025. <em>Hector Retamal, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Malacanang on Monday assured that the Philippine government will provide legal assistance to the three Filipinos arrested in China for allegedly spying on Chinese military facilities.</p><p>Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that this was the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for all Filipinos facing charges abroad. </p><p>&quot;Yes. There is always an instruction to help our Filipino citizens abroad facing these kinds of charges. Legal assistance will always be given, all the necessary help and assistance will be provided,&quot; Castro said.</p><p>China said last Thursday that it had &quot;destroyed&quot; an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/3/china-arrests-three-filipinos-suspected-of-spying-1323">READ: China arrests three Filipinos suspected of spying</a></div><p>State broadcaster CCTV reported that authorities had identified one of the suspected spies as a Philippine national who had lived and worked in China long-term and had been found conducting espionage near military facilities.</p><p>The CCTV report included a video of his arrest and what appeared to be a recorded confession.</p><p>Footage of the three Filipinos were aired by Chinese state television on Saturday, with the individuals seen speaking to and being questioned by police.</p><p>The National Security Council has already cast doubts on the &quot;confessions&quot; made by the three Filipinos, noting that their statements appeared to be fabricated.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/5/nsc-casts-doubt-on-confessions-by-filipinos-arrested-in-china-for-alleged-espionage-1454">READ: NSC casts doubt on ‘confessions’ by Filipinos arrested in China for alleged espionage</a></div><p>Meanwhile, Castro refused to comment on speculations that the charges against the Filipinos is retaliation by China over the arrest of their nationals in the Philippines for espionage.</p><p>&quot;We believe that is just the part of the initial investigation, there is no concrete evidence yet if it is really a retaliation or a part of retaliation of the other country. We will not say that because there is no final investigation on that matter. But there is still an ongoing investigation on that and we will just defer all the details to DFA and to DND,&quot; she said.</p><p>At least five Chinese nationals were arrested on suspicion of espionage in January and another two in February by Philippine authorities.</p><p>Last week, the Chinese embassy in Manila issued a travel warning to its citizens about frequent &quot;harassment&quot; from Philippine law enforcement agencies.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bC89vtOm4vA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bxf-B2tSokc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Malacanang on Monday assured that the Philippine government will provide legal assistance to the three Filipinos arrested in China for allegedly spying on Chinese military facilities.</p>

Malacanang on Monday assured that the Philippine government will provide legal assistance to the three Filipinos arrested in China for allegedly spying on Chinese military facilities.

Palace assures legal assistance to Filipinos arrested in China for alleged spying

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Palace assures legal assistance to Filipinos arrested in China for alleged spying

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 07, 2025 03:19 PM PHT

Read More:

China

espionage

Claire Castro

Philippines

spies

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