By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed concerned government agencies to provide necessary legal assistance to the three Filipinos arrested in China for allegedly spying and gathering classified military information.
In a press briefing on Monday, Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Usec. Claire Castro said the President is committed to help Filipinos facing legal issues abroad.
“There is always an instruction to help our Filipino citizens abroad facing this kind of charges. Legal assistance will always be given. All the necessary help and assistance will be provided,” Castro said.
The National Security Council (NSC) previously refuted Chinese authorities’ claims that the Filipinos are working for a certain “Philippine Intelligence Agency” or “Philippine Spy Intelligence Services” — insisting that the three individuals are just “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 on Saturday.
The NSC claimed that the said arrest could be “retaliation for the series of legitimate arrest of Chinese nationals” in the Philippines for espionage.
However, Malacañang refused to comment on the matter, saying that there is no concrete evidence yet to support the NSC’s remarks.
“We believe that is just…part of the initial investigation. There is no concrete evidence yet if it is really retaliation or a part of retaliation of the other country. We will not say that because there is no final investigation on that matter. But there is still [an] ongoing investigation on that and we will just defer all the details to [Department of Foreign Affairs] and [Department of National Defense],” Castro said.
AFP modernization not directed at any country
Meanwhile, Malacañang stressed that the government’s acquisition of military assets are not intended to target any specific country after Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez linked the possible purchase of fighter jets from the US to China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.
“Ang [Armed Forces of the Philippines] Modernization naman po ay noon pa po. Wala pa naman pong isyu sa anumang bansa, at ang pagmo-modernize po natin ng ating militar ay naaayon lamang po. Nataon lamang po at hindi nagta-target ng anumang bansa,” Castro said.
The Palace official added that the administration remains committed to bolstering the country’s defense posture amid plans of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. to acquire more missile systems, warships, and multi-role fighter jets under the AFP Horizon 3.
“Iyan po ang naisin ng Pangulo, iyan po ang naisin ng lahat. At gagawin po lahat ng paraan, pagkakataon, lahat ng kakayanin, kung may mga budget po tayong kakailanganin—iyan po ay gagawin ng ating Pangulo,” Castro added.
-iro
