The Philippine government on Friday confirmed reports of three Filipinos detained in China over allegations of espionage.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) assured that the necessary assistance to the three has been provided by the consulate.

“The department has been formally made aware of the allegations against the three Filipinos who are currently detained in China,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.

“Protecting the rights and interests of the Filipinos remains the prime priority for the Philippine government. The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou is providing all necessary assistance, including appropriate legal support, for the Filipinos,” she added.

Daza said the DFA has sought an assurance from the Chinese government that due process will be accorded the Filipinos under their domestic law and the Philippines-China Consular Agreement.

On Thursday, Chinese state-run news Global Times reported that three Filipino nationals suspected of spying in China were apprehended by state security authorities.

The Filipinos were identified as David Servañez, Albert Endencia and Nathalie Plizardo.

In US, legal access

Meanwhile, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Friday called on the Philippine Embassy in the United States to look into the status of all Filipinos being detained on immigration issues and ensure that they have access to legal representation.

‘Our government representatives in the US need to be on top of the situation and see to it that there are no illegal detentions involved.’

Escudero lamented the report of 20 Filipinos who were arrested and detained in the US in the crackdown on illegal immigrants put in place by the Trump administration.

“It is unclear why the Filipinos were arrested and what the nature of their violations were. We are calling on our embassy in Washington D.C. and our consulates across the US to regularly check on their status and ensure their rights are protected and that they are being treated fairly,” he said.

Escudero said the Philippine government should assist the Filipinos.

“Our government representatives in the US need to be on top of the situation and see to it that there are no illegal detentions involved,” he said.

He also stressed the need for the families of the detained Filipinos to be updated about the immigration status of their relatives.

“We all need the assurance that they are in good condition,” he emphasized.

Further, Escudero appealed to Filipinos in the US without proper documents and those awaiting their green cards to work with immigration lawyers if necessary to avoid arrest.

“Let us follow their local laws and voluntarily approach our embassy and consulate to find out what steps they can take to resolve their situation,” he said.

There are more than four million Filipino-Americans who are active contributing citizens in the US, making significant impacts in their respective fields.

Citing government estimates, Escudero said there are 250,000 to 300,000 undocumented Filipinos in the US.