Teodoro doubtful 3 arrested Filipinos ‘spying’ on China

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. INQUIRER.net/Ryan Leagogo

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has expressed doubt over reports that Filipinos were arrested in Beijing for suspected espionage, stressing that the Philippines has no interest on the affairs of the Asian superpower.

Teodoro initially referred questions related to China’s claims to the Department of Foreign Affairs, but eventually raised doubts over the circumstances of the allegation, which was first published in Chinese state-run news outlets last April 3.

“What are the capabilities of Filipinos to spy there? What are our capabilities? And are we even interested in what happening within their country?” Teodoro, speaking in Filipino, questioned in an ambush interview on Wednesday.

READ: AFP: No official report yet on 3 arrested Filipino ‘spies’ in China

“Our interest revolved around what they do in the West Philippine Sea. Do we have any interest in what they do there? Do we even care about that,” added Teodoro.

Teodoro also pointed out that spying in a “closed society police state” — which meant the government exerts strict control over all aspects of life — is almost impossible.

“Who in their right mind would do that? Nobody,” he said.

Information gathering

The report claimed that “Philippine intelligence agencies have long been focused on gathering information about China’s military deployments.”

Based on reports, the suspected spies were identified as David Servañez, Albert Endencia, and Nathalie Plizardo.  Servañez was arrested in October 2024, Endencia was collared in January this year, and Plizardo in February.

Upon hearing the report, National Security Council assistant director-general and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya questioned the claims, saying that the Philippines was alarmed over allegations that the arrested Filipinos were spying for the Philippine intelligence agency.

“They are ordinary Filipino citizens with no military training who merely went to China at the invitation of the Chinese government to study,” Malaya said.

He added that the Chinese government itself screened the arrested Filipinos before granting them scholarships.

Since January, Philippine authorities monitored the movements of Chinese Coast Guard vessels “unlawfully operating” within the former’s exclusive economic zone.

Beijing’s continued aggression was based on its assertion of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, as it continues to reject the 2016 arbitral ruling that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila.