Richard Sanders
On Saturday, the Philippine government voiced deep concern over the recent arrest of three Filipino citizens in China on allegations of espionage. Officials believe these detentions may be a retaliatory measure following Manila’s intensified efforts against suspected Chinese spies.
According to a report from the state-run China Daily, Chinese authorities claim the individuals were associated with the Philippine intelligence agency, purportedly gathering sensitive military information. The report indicated that the accused have confessed to the charges against them.
In response, the Philippines’ National Security Council challenged China’s allegations, clarifying that the arrested individuals were former beneficiaries of a scholarship program established through cooperation between Hainan province in China and Palawan province in the Philippines.
“They are ordinary Filipino citizens with no military training who merely went to China at the invitation of the Chinese government to study,” emphasized National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya. “They are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and were vetted and screened by the Chinese government before their arrival.”
The Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to provide a response following the allegations.
Both Hainan and Palawan provinces border the South China Sea, a vital maritime region where the Philippines and China have ongoing disputes over territorial claims. Malaya suggested that the arrests may be linked to the Philippines’ recent difficulty with Chinese agents, saying, “The arrests can be viewed as retaliation for the legitimate apprehensions of Chinese agents and accomplices by Philippine law enforcement.”
In recent months, Philippine authorities have detained at least a dozen Chinese nationals on suspicion of espionage, accusing them of illegally gathering sensitive data related to military bases and critical infrastructure that could compromise national security.
China maintains extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of several neighboring countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. An international arbitral tribunal ruled in 2016 that China’s expansive claims have no legal basis under international law, a decision that Beijing has consistently rejected.
