Malacañang said yesterday that President Marcos’ stance on keeping the Typhon missile system in the country remains unchanged despite China’s persistent demand that it be removed.
“The President’s position has not changed. He has conveyed to China his own set of demands. The President’s stance remains the same,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
On Wednesday, the Chinese state media again called on the Philippines to withdraw the United States’ Typhon intermediate range missile, claiming that the Philippines had repeatedly broken its promises by introducing the missile system.
Mr. Marcos previously said that he will pull out the Typhon missiles only if China will stop its aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“Let’s make a deal with China: Stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water cannoning our people, stop firing lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and I’ll return the Typhon missiles,” he challenged Beijing.
Meanwhile, the Palace is set to tighten security measures following the arrest of alleged Chinese spies supposedly involved in surveillance activities targeting the presidential palace, the military, and the police.
Castro described the arrest as “alarming,” emphasizing the need to intensify efforts to address the issue of foreign espionage.
“That news is really alarming, and we will continue and intensify our force to address the alleged spies,” said during the same briefing.
The newly-installed Palace spokesperson further stressed that the Palace’s security, as well as the security of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., would be strengthened.
It can be recalled that two Chinese nationals and three Filipinos were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Feb. 20 for allegedly spying on Malacañang, the military, and the police.
In January, the NBI also arrested five suspected Chinese spies for allegedly monitoring the activities of the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy in Palawan, including the resupply of troops in the WPS.