MANILA, Philippines- The Philippine government is "actively monitoring" the reported presence of Chinese "sleeper agents" and members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the country, Malacañang assured the public Friday.

Palace: Govt monitoring Chinese sleeper agents, PLA presence in PH

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the stament after Sen. Panfilo Lacson called on concerned government agencies to continue hot pursuit operations against those engaged in espionage activities, raising alarm over the presence of Chinese sleeper agents and PLA operatives.

During a press conference, Castro said that the National Security Council (NSC) was in close coordination with law enforcement agencies and intelligence units to address the issue of foreign espionage.

"We cannot go into specifics for security reasons but we can assure the public that our security forces are actively monitoring and addressing these threats," Castro said, citing a statement from the NSC.

"The government does not take espionage lightly, and we act swiftly when credible intelligence is verified," she added Castro said that recent operations have led to the arrest of suspected foreign operatives, which showed that "our agencies are not standing still."

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"We are working closely with law enforcement and intelligence units to dismantle espionage network whenever they may be," she said.