China yesterday said it had “destroyed” an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country.
State broadcaster China Central Television (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.
The CCTV report included a video of his arrest and what appeared to be a recorded confession.
Photo: Reuters
He was recruited by Philippine intelligence services to “take advantage of his long-term residence in China to conduct espionage activities in China and collect sensitive information, especially on military deployment,” CCTV reported.
He came close to military facilities multiple times and “conducted close observation and secret photography,” it added.
The three individuals had been recruited by the same Philippine spy since 2021 and received regular payment for their work, it said.
They were also tasked with “assisting the Philippine spy intelligence agency in selecting and developing personnel, and expanding its intelligence network in China,” it said.
They had provided “a large amount of military-related and confidential video materials” to Philippine agents, “causing serious harm to China’s national security and interests,” CCTV quoted a Chinese national security officer as saying.
Philippine National Security Council spokesman Jonathan Malaya told reporters that the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs was “currently confirming these reports and the involvement of any Philippine national, if any.”
“We have no further comment as of this time until we are able to verify these new reports,” Malaya said.
Asked about the charges, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it would “handle the cases in accordance with the law, and will also safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant personnel.”
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) also accused Manila of having “fabricated several so-called Chinese espionage cases.”
“China urges the Philippines to stop chasing shadows and pinning labels on people,” Guo said.
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