Wife of Chinese arrested for alleged espionage denies husband is a spy

The wife of the Chinese national who was arrested for alleged espionage activities with two other Filipinos denied that her husband is a spy.

“Hindi po spy si [Yuanqin] po (Yuanqin is not a spy)," a sobbing Noemi Deng said at a press conference Monday.

Deng said that her husband, Deng Yuanqing, has been staying in the country for 10 years and they have already built a family together.

“Matagal na po siyang naninirahan dito sa Pilipinas. Mahigit 10 years na po siya dito. May anak po kami 8 years old. Natatakot po ako sa kahihinatnan ng anak ko sa school dahil sa media na lumalabas na spy ‘yung daddy niya,” she said.

(He has been living here for a long time in the Philippines. He has been staying here for more than 10 years. We have an 8-year-old child. I’m scared for my child because his daddy is appearing as a spy in the media.)

The National Bureau of Investigation earlier said Yuanqin’s group frequently visited military camps, bases, power plants, offices of local government units, police camps, seaports, airports, and shopping malls.

The group also supposedly visited Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration said the 39-year-old Chinese man has been assimilating himself into the country for over ten years.   

However, according to Deng, her husband surveys roads for a self-driving car.

“Inaano ‘yung daan kung saan sila papunta. Hindi ko na po ma-ano kung ano po talaga. Wala po ako sa position kung ano pong masasabi doon sa company kasi hindi naman po ako part ng company,” she said.

(They are [surveying] the road. I don’t really know. I’m not in the position to say anything about the company because I don’t have anything to do with that.)

“Hindi ko po alam kung ano ‘yung tamang term na gagamitin para sa trabaho niya po. Basta nag te-test sila ng daan para doon sa car— driverless po, self-driving,” she added.  

(I don’t know what term to use for his job. But he tests the car, the driverless [car].)

‘Impartial probe’

Meanwhile, anti-crime group Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) founding president Teresita Ang-See wants an impartial investigation into the matter.

“Ang nangyari, trial by publicity agad. Trial by publicity, nag-conclude kaagad kayo na espiya. The company is a big company with clients in the US, in Taiwan, in Australia at an internationally registered company,” Ang-See said.

She said the government also refused consular visits from the Chinese Embassy to Yuanqing.

“I’m not sure kung ako ba ay tama or ako ba ay mali. Pero ang sa akin, dapat sana impartial ‘yung investigation,” she said.

Ang-See said an expert that she reached out to told her that the alleged equipment found in Yuangin’s vehicle are items that could be bought through online shopping retailers.

“[Y]ung sinasabing equipment, pina-check ko, it’s readily available sa Shopee at Lazada,” she said.

(I had the equipment they were talking about checked and it’s readily available in Shopee and Lazada.)

According to Ang-See, Yuanqing also did not graduate from a university but a tech-vocational school.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the NBI but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

The family and a friend of Deng Yuanqing have also denied the accusations, asserting his innocence. — RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News