Expel Chinese embassy execs over phone wiretap - Gibo

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.called on the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday to investigate how unnamed people in the Chinese embassy in Manila allegedly recorded a supposed phone conversation between a Chinese diplomat and a top Armed Forces official discussing a socalled new model agreement on rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last January.

- MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

He said if proven true, those involved should be expelled from the Philippines for admittedly violating the Anti-Wiretapping Law as well as rules on international relations.

Teodoro said he doubts the authenticity of the recording "given the propensity of the Chinese government to engage in malign information activities." "This is what we have to focus on, if this statement is truly from the Chinese embassy and they recorded anyone from the Philippines, then they admit that they violated the Anti-Wiretapping Law of the Republic of the Philippines," he stressed.

Teodoro said the Department of National Defense now leaves it up to the DFA to look into the truth of what really happened and if it really happened and if it did, sanctions must be imposed.