DFA confirms arrest of 3 Filipinos in China; says legal aid continuous

Department of Foreign Affairs (Photo By JDipterocarpus/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said it has been formally informed of the allegation against three Filipinos arrested in Beijing for suspected espionage.

In a statement, the DFA said the three Filipinos are currently detained in China and are receiving legal assistance from the Philippine government.

“Protecting the rights and interests of the said Filipinos remains the prime priority for the Philippine Government,” it said.

“The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is providing all necessary assistance, including appropriate legal support, for the said Filipinos.”

The DFA, meanwhile, urged the Chinese government to ensure that the allegations against the three “are tried with due process and with full respect to the rights of the said Filipinos in accordance with domestic law and the Philippines-China Consular Agreement”.

An Inquirer report dated March 13 citing the Palawan provincial government said two Palawan residents, who were former scholars under the Hainan Government Scholarship Program in China, were taken into custody by Chinese authorities under allegations of espionage last year.

The third Filipino was also reportedly another local from Palawan.

Earlier asked for specific information, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said all details are “confidential for now” and that the DFA is handling the case.