Palace says no proof that arrest of Pinoys in China a 'retaliation'

There is no concrete evidence that the arrest of three Filipinos in China due to alleged espionage was a form of retaliation, Malacañang said Monday.

This was pronounced by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro during a press briefing.   

''We believe that it's just part of the initial investigation. There is no concrete evidence if it is really a retaliation or a part of retaliation of another country. We will not say that because there's no final investigation on that matter,'' Castro said.

Castro also said President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. wants to ensure that all the necessary assistance would be provided to the arrested Filipinos.

''There's always an instruction to help our Filipino citizens abroad facing this kind of charges. Legal assistance will always be given,'' Castro said at the briefing, adding that the matter has already reached the President.

The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is already providing all necessary assistance, including appropriate legal support, for the three arrested Filipinos, the Department of Foreign Affairs said last week. 

The National Security Council has raised questions over the charges of espionage against the arrested Filipinos, saying that it can be seen as a "retaliation" after Chinese spies were arrested in the Philippines.

According to the NSC, the Filipinos arrested were former recipients of the Hainan Government Scholarship Program established under the sisterhood agreement between the provinces of Hainan and Palawan.

NSC spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the Filipinos are ''law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and were vetted and screened by the Chinese government prior to their arrival there.''

The agency vowed that it is coordinating closely with the DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to ensure the detainees receive appropriate legal assistance and due process in light of the serious accusations. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News