Manila, April 5 The Philippines on Saturday raised alarm over the arrest of three Filipino nationals in China who have been allegedly detained for suspected espionage.
The National Security Council (NSC) of the country stated that their detention can be seen as a "retaliation" for the series of legitimate arrests of Chinese agents and accomplices in the Philippines in recent months.
The agency further added that the arrested individuals are ordinary Filipino citizens with no military training.
"They are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and were vetted and screened by the Chinese government prior to their arrival there," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.
He also mentioned an edited video released by Chinese media showing alleged "confessions" by the arrested Filipinos.
"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 added.
He stated that the three arrested Philippine nationals are former recipients of the Hainan Government Scholarship Programme established under the sisterhood agreement between the Chinese province of Hainan and Philippines province of Palawan.
Meanwhile, Malaya assured the public that the Philippine government would prioritise their safety and well-being and ensure that they 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 said.
China's state security authorities on Thursday said that it had recently discovered a case of suspected espionage, prompting the arrest of three Philippine nationals on spying charges.
China's judicial and relevant authorities will strictly, and in accordance with the law, handle a case of suspected espionage activities conducted by Philippine nationals in China, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The relations between the Philippines and China have nosedived due to the South China Sea standoff and the growing assertiveness of the Chinese in the Indo-Pacific region.
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