NSQ Questions Evidence vs 3 Filipino Arrested in China

A Philippine security official said he sees the arrest of three Filipinos in China as a retaliation for the series of legitimate arrests of Chinese agents and accomplices by law enforcement and counter-intelligence agencies in the Philippines.

In a statement, National Security Council (NSC) Asst. Director-General Jonathan Malaya expressed alarm over charges of espionage made by the People’s Republic of China against three (3) Filipinos arrested within Chinese territory.

Malaya explained that the three are former recipients of the Hainan Government Scholarship Program, established under the sisterhood agreement between the provinces of Hainan and Palawan, which provided scholarships for 50 scholars from Palawan at the Hainan National University.

"They are ordinary Filipino citizens with no military training who merely went to China at the invitation of the Chinese government to study. They are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and were vetted and screened by the Chinese government prior to their arrival there," Malaya underscored.

He also said that the edited video released by Chinese media showing alleged “confessions” by the arrested Filipinos raises more questions than answers.

"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. The “confessions” appear to be scripted, strongly suggesting that they were not made freely," Malaya said.

The NSC official said they will be coordinating closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to ensure that the three receive appropriate legal support.

"We urge the Chinese government to respect their rights and afford them every opportunity to clear their names in the same way that the rights of Chinese nationals are respected here in the Philippines," Malaya added.

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Photo Source: NSC