The Philippine government has raised alarm over the arrest of three Filipinos in China on suspicion of espionage, calling the move a possible retaliation for the recent arrests of Chinese nationals linked to spying in the Philippines.

The three individuals — publicly named by Chinese state media on April 3 as David Servañez, Albert Endencia, and Nathalie Plizardo — were detained for allegedly spying for a Philippine intelligence agency.

However, the National Security Council (NSC) described the three detained Filipinos as “ordinary Filipino citizens with no military training” who had gone to China under a government scholarship program.

Jonathan Malaya, NSC’s assistant director general and spokesperson, said the three Filipinos were granted scholarships under the Hainan Government Scholarship Program. “These are not spies. These are scholars,” said Malaya.

“They are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and were vetted and screened by the Chinese government prior to their arrival there,” he said.

According to Malaya, the three studied at Hainan National University as part of an educational agreement between China’s Hainan province and the Philippines’ Palawan province.

The program funded 50 students from Palawan to study at Hainan National University — a symbol of local-level diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges.

Confessions under scrutiny 

The controversy deepened after Chinese media released a video purportedly showing the Filipinos confessing to espionage. The NSC, however, raised doubts about the edited nature of the footage, questioning its authenticity and the circumstances under which it was obtained.

Malaya suggested the so-called confessions may have been coerced or scripted, saying they “raise more questions than answers.”

“A portion of one of the Filipino’s statements, while expressing regret, also notably portrayed China in a positive light.”

He also cast doubt on the legitimacy of the confessions. “There was also mention of a ‘Philippine Intelligence Agency’ or ‘Philippine Spy Intelligence Services’, which is a non-existing government agency. The ‘confessions’ appear to be scripted, strongly suggesting that they were not made freely,” he added.

Retaliatory move

Malaya pointed to the timing of the arrests as potentially retaliatory.

“Given the limited information released by Chinese media, the arrests can be seen as a retaliation for the series of legitimate arrests of Chinese agents and accomplices by Philippine law enforcement and counter-intelligence agencies in recent months,” he said.

Over the past several months, Philippine law enforcement agencies have carried out a series of arrests targeting suspected Chinese operatives and accomplices allegedly involved in intelligence-gathering and cyber operations within the Philippines.

The Philippine government confirmed the arrests on April 4 and said it had coordinated with Chinese authorities to ensure the three receive legal assistance and due process. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing are leading those efforts.

“We urge the Chinese government to respect their rights and afford them every opportunity to clear their names in the same way that the rights of Chinese nationals are respected here in the Philippines,” the NSC said.

Malacañang: No proof yet of retaliation

Despite the NSC’s position, Malacañang, the presidential office, on, April 7, clarified there was “no concrete evidence” to confirm the arrests were retaliatory.

“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 ongoing investigation on that and we will just defer all the details to Department of Foreign Affairs and to Department of National Defense,” said Undersecretary Claire Castro in a briefing. 

She added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has instructed agencies to extend all necessary support to the detained Filipinos. “Legal assistance will always be given,” Castro said, noting that the case has reached the president’s attention.

China has defended the arrests. In a press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: “Competent authorities have released detailed information on the espionage activities conducted by the Philippine nationals in China.

“China’s judicial and relevant authorities handle the case based on facts and in strict accordance with the law, and will protect the lawful rights and interests of the personnel involved.”

Chinese state-run media claimed the three Filipinos confessed to gathering classified military information for a Philippine intelligence agency.

The DFA said the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is providing all necessary assistance to the detainees.

Meanwhile, in Palawan, the families of the arrested individuals — two men and a woman — have sought help from the local government to visit them in detention.

Malaya called on the Filipino public to remain vigilant: “Let us stand united in our commitment to truth, justice, and adherence to international law, while prioritizing the well-being of our citizens abroad.”

Photo credit: Jonathan Malaya. Jonathan Malaya, NSC’s assistant director general and spokesperson.