The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said it will investigate the “illegal and unlawful activities” of foreign diplomatic officials in the country.

The move came following reports that diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Manila allegedly wiretapped its conversation with a member of the Philippine Armed Forces.

According to the DFA, it would “undertake necessary action in line with existing laws and regulations.”

In an apparent response to the calls for the expulsion of Chinese diplomats, the agency reminded foreign diplomats in the country to remain “professional.”

“Foreign diplomats accredited to the Philippines are accorded the necessary liberties to conduct their diplomatic duties, with the expectation that they, in turn, will conduct their diplomatic activities with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, in pursuit of common interests and mutually beneficial outcomes,” it said in a statement.

The agency reiterated that being a strong advocate of rules-based governance, the Philippine Government is “firm and united in respecting and upholding the rule of law in both the domestic and international milieus.”

“It is in this context that the Philippines—as a responsible member of the international community of nations—has consistently called for adherence to international law, including the United Nations Charter, the Vienna Conventions governing inter-state relations, and in the maritime domain the 1982 UNCLOS, among others,” it said.

Last week, diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in Manila released their supposed two-minute phone call with Admiral Alberto Carlos, commander of the AFP Western Command about the so-called new model agreement on the West Philippine Sea.

Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año called the expulsion of the Chinese diplomats behind the said meeting for “potentially violating the Anti-Wire Tapping Act and breaching diplomatic protocols and conventions.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has yet to comment on the new developments.