Camille Naredo

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

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

Article (news)

CHINA

Zen Hernandez

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/1744098300623Screen Shot 2025-04-08 at 3.44.36 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><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 style="text-align:left">MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said authorities were working on getting a lawyer to be able to visit the three Filipinos detained in Hainan, China over espionage allegations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/3/china-claims-philippines-fabricated-cases-of-chinese-spies-1936">China claims Philippines &#x27;fabricated&#x27; cases of Chinese spies</a></div><p>“We already funded the lawyer. There&#x27;s a local lawyer taking on their case funded by the Philippines, by DFA Legal Assistance Fund and we&#x27;re strongly requesting the Chinese authorities for this lawyer at least to allow to see them in their detention in Hainan,” DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Affairs Eduardo de Vega told the media.</p><p>“But for that, kailangan din ng approval ng provincial governor. So we&#x27;re working on that,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PH &#x27;ALARMED&#x27;</strong></div><p>The National Security Council (NSC) previously expressed alarm on the espionage charges and the alleged confession of the three Filipinos, who were previous recipients of the Hainan Government Scholarship program. </p><div><a 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">NSC casts doubt on ‘confessions’ by Filipinos arrested in China for alleged espionage</a></div><p>This was after a footage of the three Filipinos being questioned by Chinese police was aired by Chinese state television CCTV on April 5. </p><p>“The ‘confessions’ appear to be scripted, strongly suggesting that they were not made freely,” said NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya in a statement on the same day.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/7/palace-assures-legal-assistance-to-filipinos-arrested-in-china-for-alleged-spying-1519">Palace assures legal assistance to Filipinos arrested in China for alleged spying</a></div><p>The DFA previously said it told the Chinese government that the three Filipinos should be accorded due process and full respect of their rights in accordance with domestic law and the Philippine-China Consular Agreement. </p><p>Article 13 of the consular agreement made in 2009 states: &quot;<em></em>A consular officer shall be entitled to visit a national of the sending State who is under detention, arrest or deprived of freedom by any other means, to converse or communicate with him in any language or dialect known to the detained national relating to his condition and his case and to arrange legal assistance for him.&quot; </p><p>Malacañang on Monday already assured full assistance to the three Filipinos and refused to comment on speculations that their detention was part of China’s retaliatory actions on the Philippines’ prior arrest of Chinese nationals for espionage activities.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;HIGH STAKES&#x27; CASE</strong></div><p>De Vega acknowledged that &quot;high stakes&quot; were involved in the case. </p><p>“From what the Office of the President and what the NSC already said, we deny that there was espionage... High stakes ‘to, so that we don’t see anything which will impact not only the case, but Philippine-Chinese overall relations,” he said.</p><p>“I can confirm that our ambassador in Beijing, Consul General in Guangzhou…we&#x27;re talking to the Chinese authorities, lawyers, everything, kasi lahat na ito nasa legal na and we&#x27;ll see what we can do. But we know na matagal nang hinihingi ng family na tulungan…So hopefully, there will be some good news and at least we could have our lawyers see them,” he added.</p><p>De Vega said that Chinese officials in the Philippines have been informed of the Philippines’ request for lawyers to see the three Filipinos detained in Hainan.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><strong><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><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/Ztqud1ebYcg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The DFA said that Chinese officials in the Philippines have been informed of the Philippines’ request.</p>

The DFA said that Chinese officials in the Philippines have been informed of the Philippines’ request.

PH seeks China approval to access 3 Filipinos accused of espionage

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PH seeks China approval to access 3 Filipinos accused of espionage

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 08, 2025 04:00 PM PHT

|

Updated April 08, 2025 08:17 PM PHT

Read More:

DFA

Philippines

China

Hainan

espionage

OFWs

diplomacy

spy

spying

politics

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