Carpio's calls, emails being monitored by China? Not surprising, says Sotto

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday said he was not surprised by the statement of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio that China was monitoring his phone calls and emails.

"[It is] not surprising, Globe and Smart use Huawei network services since before," Sotto said in a text message to GMA News Online without elaborating.

Huawei, a Chinese tech firm, has been accused of allowing its devices to be used for exfiltration of data and espionage in the United States.

Huawei has repeatedly said it does not pose any risk and insists it would not share customer data with Beijing.

Senator Panfilo Lacson advised Carpio to always be watchful.

“As any high-profile government personalities who actively make statements on the West Philippine Sea or any issue that involves China, US, and any country having some geopolitical interests in the Philippines should expect and assume that they will be the subject if technical, even physical surveillance,” he said.

“The best antidote, if I may give an unsolicited advice is paranoia, as in 24/7,” Lacson added.

For his part, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said the country’s security agencies should extend assistance to Carpio and other government officials who may have been bugged.

"Since he is the senior justice on the court, we ask our security agencies to extend all assitance to him on any possible bugging or monitoring by any foreign country and of any of our leaders,” he said in a separate text message.

Senator Joel Villanueva said Carpio’s revelation should be seen as a concern by authorities.

“He has always been firm in his conviction on the issue of the West Philippine Sea, and his views should not earn any hostile act such as surveillance especially from foreign entities,” he said.

He also called on the country’s intelligence agencies to verify and, if validated, thwart any foreign surveillance being done on all government officials.

“Our country values the freedom of speech and communication that is enshrined in our Constitution,” he added.

During a convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Iloilo City, power went off while Carpio was giving a lecture and presenting a video on China's claims in the South China Sea and the arbitral tribunal's 2016 ruling that favored the Philippines.

"I knew that my email and my phone conversations are being monitored by China but I didn't know they have the capability to tinker with our video now," Carpio said.

The SC associate justice also expressed concern over the Chico River irrigation loan agreement between the Philippines and China, saying the latter could seize oil and gas-rich Philippine assets in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) if the country would default on its payments. —KBK/LDF, GMA News