MANILA –  An official of Palawan province on Saturday disputed the allegations of the Chinese government that three Filipinos they arrested were spies, saying they were former scholars who only wanted to help their family and learn abroad. 

The three Filipinos — two male and one female — were former scholars of Hainan Normal University under an agreement following the sisterhood relationship between Palawan and Hainan, China, said Ryan Maminta, a provincial board member of Palawan.

Beneficiaries of the scholarship grant were given free lodging, monthly allowances, “comprehensive medical insurances and one round-trip ticket from Palawan to Haikou,” the Philippine News Agency reported in 2018.

Haikou is the capital and biggest city on Hainan, an island province of China.

"Unang-una ang mga intention lang naman nila ay mag-aral at higit sa lahat ay makatulong sa pamilya. Nung mga panahon na bago sila ipadala doon, dumaan sila sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan, nagkukuwento sila, nagsasabi kung ano ang mga experience nila doon at masaya sila na natapos silang makapag-aral because of this program,” Maminta told ABS-CBN News in an exclusive interview.

(First of all, their intention was really just to study and most of all to help their families. Before they were sent there for work, they told the provincial board about their experiences there and that they were happy they were able to study because of this program)

Maminta said that when he heard about the arrests, he considered the possibility that these were retaliatory moves or were related to the Philippines' dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea.

“So hindi ako kumbinsido, hindi ako naniniwala na magagawa ng mga bata ‘yan (I am not convinced. I do not believe these kids would do that),” he added.

DFA: Consulate assisting 3 Filipinos detained by China for alleged spying

The official said he was only made aware of the situation last October when the sister of one of those arrested said they lost contact with their family member.

The families of those arrested, he said, were relieved when they finally saw the faces of their loved ones released by Chinese media.

“October pa nahuli pero walang banggit at hindi naisasapubliko. Pagdating nitong nakaraang February, Marso na wala pang report, umimik na ko sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan para tanungin kung ano ba ang nangyari sa former scholars natin at sa mga estudyante natin,” he said.

(The arrests happened in October, but it was not made public. And then February came, and  then March, and there were no reports. So, I raised it with the provincial board, to find out what happened to the former scholars)

He said the provincial government has been coordinating with the national government and with the Philippine consulate to help bring the three home. 

The program with Hainan is still ongoing but Maminta said it should be reviewed following the developments.

“Nakulong na yung mga kababayan natin doon. Kaya sa mga susunod na araw, sa session namin, dapat mapag-usapan na at makapag-desisyon na kung ano ang dapat gawin doon sa mga remaining Palaweños na nasa ilalim pa ng scholarship ng Hainan Normal University."

(Our fellow Filipinos are already detained. So, in the next few days, we should discuss this at our board session and decide on what we should do about the Palaweños who are under the scholarship with Hainan Normal University)

Ambassador Teresita Daza, DFA spokesperson, said in a statement Friday that the department has been "formally made aware" of the allegations against the three Filipinos.

She also said protecting the rights and interests of the detained Filipinos is a "prime priority" for the government.

China arrests three Filipinos suspected of spying

China on Thursday said it had "destroyed" an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country.

Earlier, state broadcaster 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.

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