Latest news with #FrancelPadilla
GMA Network
3 days ago
- General
- GMA Network
China issues radio challenge vs PAF aircraft en route Pag-asa Island
Chinese forces issued a radio challenge to a Philippine Air Force (PAF) cargo aircraft headed to Pag-asa Island. In Chino Gaston's Tuesday report on '24 Oras,' the PAF C-130 Hercules was carrying officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and some members of the media to conduct an inspection of Pag-asa Island. The AFP aimed to show the new structures and the current situation of Pag-asa Island and other military outposts in the Kalayaan Island Group. Also onboard the plane were a number of residents and elementary school teachers. However, as the plane neared Pag-asa, China issued a radio challenge. 'Before we landed, there was a radio challenge. There was one radio challenge that occurred but hindi na ito nag prosper and with that ang sagot naman ng ating mga piloto, of course, we are asserting pa rin and holding our sovereign with this. We conducted itong media embedded maritime patrol na makita talaga natin yung situation in the area,' AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla said. (Before we landed, there was a radio challenge. There was one radio challenge that occurred, but it did not prosper and our pilots' response has always been the same: we are attesting and holding our sovereign. We conducted a media-embedded maritime patrol to show the situation in the area.) The new airport control tower is almost finished, while the current three-kilometer long runway is currently being extended to accommodate larger aircraft. These developments are in stark contrast to a decaying watchtower and derelict amphibious tanks deployed by the military in the 1970s around the island. The island's electricity comes from a community generator while a desalination plant converts seawater to drinking water. A fisherman told reporters that fishing in the waters off Pag-asa has been difficult due to the presence of the Chinese and Vietnamese vessels. He mentioned their crews used cyanide to catch fish. Due to the bad weather and strong waves on Tuesday morning, Chinese fishing militia vessels surrounding the island were only observed in the afternoon once the weather improved. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Google highlights ‘West Philippine Sea' label on Maps, earns praise from Filipinos, AFP
Google has made the label 'West Philippine Sea' more visible on its Maps platform, a move welcomed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Filipino lawmakers, and netizens. In a statement to NewsWatch Plus, a Google spokesperson clarified: 'The West Philippine Sea has always been labeled on Google Maps. We recently made this label easier to see at additional zoom levels.' Now, when users search for Scarborough Shoal, it appears within a clearly marked area labeled as the West Philippine Sea—a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos and part of the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla praised the change, saying it supports the Philippines' sovereign rights under international law. 'This affirms international recognition of the country's sovereign rights, as upheld by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling under UNCLOS,' she said. Padilla added that the update contributes to accurate representation and boosts public awareness, reinforcing the AFP's mission to defend national sovereignty. The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague nullified China's sweeping claims over the South China Sea and upheld the Philippines' rights in its EEZ. While the ruling has been dismissed by Beijing, the Philippine government continues to assert its maritime claims. The term 'West Philippine Sea' refers to areas of the South China Sea within the Philippines' EEZ, including the Luzon Sea, Kalayaan Island Group, and the waters surrounding Scarborough Shoal. The use of the term was formalized through Administrative Order No. 29 issued by then-President Benigno Aquino III in 2011, as part of efforts to affirm national sovereignty amid ongoing maritime disputes.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Philippines Probing Network of Hundreds of Alleged Chinese Spies
(Bloomberg) -- Philippine authorities have uncovered a network of hundreds of alleged Chinese spies, a senior official said, a much more extensive operation than previously disclosed that adds to tensions between the countries. Trump Administration Plans to Eliminate Dozens of Housing Offices NJ College to Merge With State School After Financial Stress Republican Mayor Braces for Tariffs: 'We Didn't Budget for This' How Upzoning in Cambridge Broke the YIMBY Mold NYC's Finances Are Sinking With Gauge Falling to 11-Year Low The suspected Chinese nationals operating in the Southeast Asian nation are believed to be engaged in espionage activities including cybercrimes, according to an official at the National Bureau of Investigation, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the ongoing operation. The bureau captured at least eight suspects earlier this year in the first arrests associated with the campaign and is set to apprehend eight more suspects later this month. Officials in Manila have been ramping up counterintelligence efforts since the country's military became the target of Chinese spy networks following a souring of relations with Beijing in recent years. The NBI official said both the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Australian Federal Police have offered technical assistance with the recent cases of espionage. Neither agency immediately responded to emailed requests for comment. A spokesperson for the US embassy in Manila said it won't comment on law enforcement matters, but that it would 'let the NBI's statement stand on its own.' Philippine military spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla declined to comment on the specifics of the dragnet, saying that efforts to counter foreign interference involved cross-agency collaboration. 'Any form of espionage poses a serious risk to national security, particularly if it involves sensitive information, critical infrastructure, or activities that undermine Philippine sovereignty,' she said in a text message. 'Very Disturbed' The campaign comes as tensions have escalated over competing claims in the South China Sea, where Chinese enforcement vessels have been repeatedly accused of ramming into Philippine boats, causing injury to those on board. The NBI official said the military has become increasingly wary of an influx of Chinese nationals working in online gaming companies since then, and the possibility many could be spies. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last year shut down online casinos that initially flourished under China-friendly former President Rodrigo Duterte, but thousands of Chinese workers remained in the country. Marcos, who has challenged Beijing's sweeping maritime claims and reinforced his nation's military alliance with the US, has said he was 'very disturbed' over the increasing number of alleged Chinese spies in his country. The Chinese embassy, contacted on Friday, referred Bloomberg News to an earlier statement saying, 'We firmly oppose any baseless accusation and speculation aimed at smearing China and Chinese citizens.' The embassy also urged Chinese nationals overseas to abide by local laws and regulations. Six Chinese nationals and two Philippine cohorts have been charged with espionage so far as part of the campaign. Deng Yuanqing, who was arrested in January with two local cohorts, is accused of using a vehicle equipped with spying devices to survey sites essential to national security. In total, they visited over 120 locations including ports as well as military bases the US can access under a defense deal with the Philippines, according to an NBI document shown to Bloomberg News. Tracking Ships The accused are said to have used remote-access tools including one developed by a Chinese software firm, the NBI official said. The agency has yet to establish whether the spying activity was state-sponsored or if any breached data was relayed abroad. Another group of five suspects was separately found to have used CCTV cameras to track movements of navy and coast guard ships bound for the South China Sea. Officials said they are affiliated with bilateral friendship organizations and have conducted medical missions involving local politicians. Deng's wife denied the accusations against her husband to reporters in January. She admitted he was employed at a company involved in self-driving cars, but wasn't sure what his job functions were. Some of those arrested have been in the Philippines since 2002, according to Manila's immigration bureau. The state-run Global Times ran an opinion piece last month saying the Philippines has 'frequently sensationalized' the issue and called it a 'propaganda campaign aimed at fostering an 'anti-China' atmosphere.' The development comes after Bloomberg News reported in January that Chinese-state sponsored hackers penetrated the executive branch of the Philippine government and stole sensitive data as part of a yearslong campaign. Philippine officials have acknowledged the hacking attempts, but said no data was compromised. 'We reassure the Filipino people that the AFP remains vigilant and committed to protecting the nation from all forms of security threats,' Padilla said of the armed forces on Friday. --With assistance from Jon Herskovitz and Ben Westcott. Snack Makers Are Removing Fake Colors From Processed Foods An All-American Finance Empire Drew Billions—and a Regulator's Attention The Mysterious Billionaire Behind the World's Most Popular Vapes Rich People Are Firing a Cash Cannon at the US Economy—But at What Cost? Greenland Voters Weigh Their Election's Most Important Issue: Trump ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
