3 Filipinos arrested in Beijing for alleged espionage

Three Filipino nationals have been arrested in Beijing for allegedly gathering classified information on China's military for Philippine intelligence agencies.

The arrested individuals were former recipients of a scholarship program between China's Hainan province and the Philippine province of Palawan.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired footage of the three Filipinos in police custody, with state media alleging they confessed to the charges.

The Philippines expressed alarm over the arrest, asserting the three are ordinary citizens and suggesting the detention might be retaliation for Manila's crackdown on alleged Chinese spies.

The National Security Council of the Philippines cast doubt on the "confessions," noting the video portrayed China positively and mentioned non-existent government agencies.

The DFA has been informed of the arrest and is prioritizing the protection of the arrested Filipinos' rights and interests, requesting due process.

A security analyst suggests the arrest may be a retaliatory act by China, possibly in response to recent arrests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines and the country's strategies in the West Philippine Sea.

Senator Panfilo Lacson expressed concern over the fate of the three Filipinos, citing China's expanded anti-espionage law and urging the Philippine government to provide all possible assistance.