Marcos orders probe of alleged wiretapping by Chinese embassy

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the investigation of the alleged wiretapping of a ranking Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) official by the Chinese Embassy in Manila."We are looking into it because the fact of the matter is, there have been mentions of a tape that confirms that there was this agreement," Marcos said at the signing of an alliance between the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Nationalist People's Coalition in Makati City.The President's directive came days after the Department of Foreign Affairs warned foreign diplomats to follow the country's laws. The Senate is also set to hold an investigation and some senators have urged officials of the Chinese embassy to attend.The Chinese Embassy in Manila earlier released a recording and transcript of an unverified phone conversation between a Chinese diplomat and Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, former commander of the military's Western Command, on the so-called "new model" of arrangement on the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.The government has repeatedly insisted no such agreement was reached and that only the chief executive can make decisions in relation to the territorial row."There have been so many departments and agencies that have been victimized and I think we are all very aware of the risks of cybersecurity. We are very conscious of that," Marcos said.