China urges PH to protect Chinese nat’ls rights after ‘sleeper agent’ arrest

SLEEPER AGENT Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla (seated, second from left), flanked by AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. and NBI Director Jaime Santiago, on Monday presents to reporters a suspected Chinese spy and his two Filipino cohorts who were arrested for alleged espionage. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The government of China expressed hope that the Philippines would “protect the lawful rights and interests” of Chinese nationals in the country following the arrest of a suspected “sleeper agent” involved in espionage activities.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, made this statement when asked for a comment on the case.

READ: Chinese engineer, 2 Filipinos nabbed for espionage targeting PH security

“The Chinese government, as always, asks Chinese nationals overseas to abide by local laws and regulations,” Mao said in a press conference on Wednesday evening.

“We hope the Philippines will stick to the fact, stop shadow-chasing, stop peddling the so-called ‘Chinese spy,’ and earnestly protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines,” she added.

Last January 20, National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago identified the arrested Chinese national as Deng Yuanqing, a technical software engineer connected with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Santiago said Deng studied at the PLA-controlled University of Science and Technology in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, specializing in control engineering and automation systems. Deng was arrested in Makati last Friday, along with his Filipino cohorts, Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jason Amado Fernandez.

Earlier, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said there seems to be a “deliberate and calculated move to map out” the Philippines by a “foreign power.”

Aside from the case of the alleged Chinese “sleeper agent,” Trinidad also mentioned other foreign-related incidents such as the submersible drone with Chinese markings found in Masbate. It is the fifth underwater drone under the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ custody.

“If we take two steps backward a local chief executive with dubious character and background was uncovered, foreign nationals were arrested with fake government IDs, foreign nationals with fake birth certificates,” Trinidad further said.

READ: BI nabs South Korean fugitive in Las Piñas City