ANTIPOLO CITY – The government must extend all possible assistance to the three Filipinos who face espionage charges in China, former Senator and 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.
Lacson said what happened is “unfortunate” since China has expanded the definition and coverage of its anti-espionage law, with heavy penalties including life imprisonment and execution.
“For now, what the Philippine government can do, as it always does, is to send whatever legal assistance and whatever assistance we can give to the three Filipinos who I suppose are now under detention. We do not know the extent or gravity of the charges against them,” he said in Filipino at the press conference of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate here.
“Imagine, from life imprisonment to execution. God forbid,” he added.
Related: Ping Lacson: Dapat Bigyan ng Gobyerno ng Tulong ang 3 Pilipinong Nahuli Dahil sa ‘Espionage’ sa China
Lacson noted China had expanded its anti-espionage laws to include not just national security but also national interest, including commercial interests.
He said some US security officials also noted that the new laws give China’s government “wider discretion” to interpret the laws against espionage.
Earlier reports indicated Chinese state security authorities arrested three Filipinos in Beijing for suspected espionage.
This came after the arrest of suspected Chinese spies in the Philippines.
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Ping Lacson: Dapat Bigyan ng Gobyerno ng Tulong ang 3 Pilipinong Nahuli Dahil sa ‘Espionage’ sa China
ANTIPOLO CITY – Dapat bigyan ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ang lahat na posibleng tulong sa tatlong Pilipinong maaaring kasuhan ng espionage sa China, ayon kay dating Senator at 2025 senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.
Ikinalungkot ni Lacson na nangyari ang paghuli sa tatlong Pilipino ngayong pinalawak ng China ang sakop ng anti-espionage law nito, at may mas mabigat na parusang kabilang ang habangbuhay na pagkulong at pagbitay.
“(Sa ngayon), ang magagawa lang ng Philippine government as we always do, is to send whatever legal assistance and whatever assistance we can give to the three Filipinos who I suppose right now are under detention. Di natin alam anong extent or gravity ng espionage activities na china-charge sa kanila,” aniya sa pulong pambalitaan ng Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate dito.
“Imagine, from life imprisonment to execution. God forbid,” dagdag niya.
Ani Lacson, pinalawak ng China ang batas nito laban sa espionage at sakop na hindi lang ang bagay tungkol sa national security kundi pati national interest, kabilang ang commercial interests.
Dagdag niya, may ilang US security official na ang nagsabing ang pagpalawak ng batas ay nagbigay sa pamahalaan ng Tsina ng “wider discretion” para ma-interpret ang batas.
Ayon sa ulat, inaresto ng Chinese state security ang tatlong Pilipino dahil sa suspected espionage.
Ito ay sumunod sa pag-aresto ng mga hinihinalaang Chinese spies sa Pilipinas.
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