DFA monitoring 'foreign covert operations'

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is closely monitoring reports of alleged foreign covert operations in the Philippines, its spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza said Thursday. Daza said the issue is an "area of concern" and that the DFA is coordinating with relevant government agencies on the matter. "The Department has noted reports containing relevant information on alleged foreign covert operations in the Philippines. In accordance with its mandate to help protect national security, the department takes such reports seriously and is monitoring relevant developments in this regard," she said. The DFA issued the statement days after a committee of the House of Representatives discussed an Al Jazeera documentary that featured tycoon She Zhijiang, who claimed that he was a Chinese spy and had spoken with dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, who has been accused of being a Chinese spy. Asked if the DFA has reached out to its Chinese counterpart, Daza said she has no information as of yet. "That's as far as we can say relevant to this topic. What's important is we are actually coordinating with other agencies on it because it is a concern," she said, noting that the DFA has seen the documentary. The National Security Council (NSC) earlier said the government has "effective counterintelligence efforts" against foreign spies. NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the council has to validate the information disclosed by She first "considering that the person is not entirely credible being a wanted criminal and leader of an international crime syndicate."