The Commission on Appointments confirms the selection of Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. as secretary of the Department of National Defense in Pasay City on September 13, 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday cast doubt on Beijing's espionage allegations against three Filipinos arrested in China.

He said the Philippines is neither inclined to nor capable of conducting surveillance abroad.

"Anong interest natin malaman kung anong nangyayari doon sa loob ng bansa nila? Ang interest natin iyong ginagawa nila sa West Philippine Sea," Teodoro told reporters in an ambush interview in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday.

(What interest would we have in what is happening in their country? Our interest is on what China is doing in the West Philippine Sea)

"Sa katunayan, sa closed society na police state, puwede bang mag-espiya ang isang tao? Eh paggising mo pa lang eh alam na nila yung ginagawa mo? Sinong may sentido kumon ang gagawa niyan? Wala."

(In fact, in a closed society that is a police state, how could one be a spy? The moment you wake up, they already know what your are doing. Nobody with common sense would do that)

Washington DC think tank Freedom House considers China as "not free", adding the Communist Party of China has "[tight] control over all aspects of life and governance, including the state bureaucracy, the media, online speech, religious practice, universities, businesses, and civil society associations."

Earlier this month, China said it had “destroyed” an intelligence network set up by the “Philippine Intelligence Agency” and arrested three Filipinos from the country.

‘Intensyon lang mag-aral, makatulong sa pamilya’: Palawan official says 3 Pinoys detained in China not spies

The National Security Council has expressed alarm on the espionage charges and the alleged confession of the three Filipinos, who were previous recipients of the Hainan Government Scholarship Program.

The DFA previously conveyed to Chinese authorities to ensure that the Filipinos will be given due process with full respect to their rights in accordance with domestic law and the Philippines-China Consular Agreement.

Meanwhile, a security analyst said that the arrest of three Filipinos suspected of spying may be a retaliatory act in relation to arrests of alleged Chinese spies in the Philippines.

“Ganoon din sa West Philippine Sea, kung ano ang istratehiyang pinapakita natin sa kanila, yun din ang ginagawa nila sa atin,” Dr. Chester Cabalza, founder and president of the International Development and Security Cooperation, told ABS-CBN News in an interview on April 4.

(It is the same in the West Philippine Sea. Whatever strategy we have, they will do something similar)

"The past few months, sunud-sunod ang pag-aresto natin sa mga Chinese nationals. Maaaring yun din ang response nila sa mga aksyon na ginagawa natin na naaayon sa domestic laws," he said.

(There has been a series of arrests of Chinese national in the past few months. This may be a response to the actions we do in accordance with our domestic laws)

Philippines arrests two more Chinese nationals over spying

Since January, government personnel have arrested at least 10 Chinese nationals suspected to have committed spying activities in the Philippines.

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