Duterte admits: China is listening

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday admitted that China has been “listening to us” and that there are spies in the country.

“I know now na ( that) right now they are listening to us, through satellites, without using the grid, they spy. I don’t know kungsinodito (who they are). They have to torture,” Duterte said in a television interview.

“They know, I know because

I have talked to him ( Chinese President Xi Jinping). And, as a matter of fact, they offered to give me a cellphone nahindimahack (that cannot be hacked),” he added.

He said he rejected the offer.

“I do not want the people to suspect that I have secrets,” Duterte explained.

He mentioned the offer when he was asked about China’s possible shut down of the country’s power grid.

Duterte said he did not think China would shut down the country’s power supply.

“Angtanongko (My question is), what would be the possible reason that China would spy or cut the grid?” the President asked.

“I’d like to address myself, respectfully, to President Xi Jinping. What could be the reason, because I do not believe that you’d do it.

But if there is, what could be a reason for you to cut,” he added.

Duterte noted that China merely offered assistance in the country’s power transmission operations.

“’ Yung grid, na kitulongl an gang China, hindi ta lag ana tin ma kay a eh (China offered to help in the power grid. We can’t do it alone). You want a better one, better service, you want more energy distributed, China offered to help. At kin ag at na man na tin( And we accepted),” he said.

“So, it’s business. What’s the purpose of business? To spy? It’s to make money for China and for us,” the President added.

Last week, Duterte warned that a “quarrel” between the Philippines and China would erupt if Beijing attempted to shut off the country’s power grid.

“Look, China, we are friends. We’re doing business. You want money, we want money. It produces money for both of us. Now, do you intend cut it and for what reason? You answer me. Why would you take control out of a thing that you offered us? I will not allow that,” Duterte said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

“I will tell China, ‘You know,

China, if you do that, then there will be a quarrel. I may not overcome you, but I said you will receive from me a mouthful then I’ll go to other places and look for help,” he added.

This came amid security concerns raised by some senators on the Chinese government’s coownership of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), which operates the country’s power transmission system.

The NGCP allayed concerns, saying the management and control of NGCP were exclusively exercised by Filipinos.