PH ambassador reveals phone hacking; China refutes claims

Metro Manila, Philippines – Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez recently disclosed that he was targeted by China and had to resort to changing phones multiple times.

Speaking at the American University School of International Service, Romualdez said that he was a victim of Chinese phone hacking.

"I'm not saying that I'm the main victim but I am one of those targeted. I had to change my phone about four or five times already," the envoy said on Jan. 28.

He added that he had raised this concern with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian during a meeting.

"I even told the Chinese Ambassador in the Philippines, please stop going through my telephone because I can't afford to keep on buying a phone," he said.

Romualdez noted that suspicious activities took place when messages that he did not send were sent from his number.

"When they because they hacked your phone there are many things that and of course with AI and all of these things coming into play," he added.

China denies hacking, meeting

In a statement on Monday, the Chinese embassy in Manila refuted Romualdez's claims.

"With regard to the report of Ambassador Romualdez saying he talked to Ambassador Huang about the so-called Chinese hacking of his phone, I [embassy official] verified the story with Ambassador Huang, he was surprised by such a story since he hasn't met Ambassador Romualdez for a long time," the embassy said.

"The two ambassadors have never touched upon the so-called Chinese hacking issue, and Ambassador Huang doesn't know where Ambassador Romualdez got this story from," it added.