Lawyer and civic leader Ferdinand Topacio on Monday criticized the government’s handling of a recent espionage incident, calling it “clumsy” and “amateurish.”

Speaking at a press conference at Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City, Topacio voiced concerns that the accusations could strain diplomatic relations with China, a country with which the Philippines has significant ties.

“If you accuse another country, especially one with which you have diplomatic relations, of spying, mabigat iyan! Mabigat na accusation iyan,” Topacio said, emphasizing the gravity of such allegations.

He further explained that the accusation could sour bilateral relations, remarking, “It leaves a bad taste in the mouth when you accuse them of a belligerent attitude towards your country. Hindi po maganda iyun. That is not only unsavory, but it is also quite clumsy pagdating sa diplomatic relations… Espionage is frowned upon by international law.”

According to Topacio, espionage is a serious accusation with far-reaching consequences. “You risk retribution. Baka babawian ka n’yan. No self-respecting country is going to allow itself to be insulted,” he warned.

He also shared a personal account from his neighborhood in Better Living Subdivision, where police stopped a vehicle fitted with cameras on both sides, suspecting it of espionage. After investigation, it was found that the car was simply gathering data for Waze, a navigation app.

“I’m not saying (that’s the case here), dahil hindi po natin alam,” Topacio added. “But our government should not discount the possibility na baka naman innocent lang before trying to launch an international incident.”

Topacio called for greater caution in handling such sensitive issues, urging the government not to escalate matters prematurely. “Parang amateurish kasi ang ating gobyerno. Napapailing na lang po iyung mga taong nakakaintindi,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic ties, especially in a global community where fostering allies is more beneficial than making unfounded accusations that could isolate the country.

“Hindi ko naman pinagtatanggol ang China, but we belong to a community of nations. Global community na tayo. One should not strain relations with any country,” Topacio clarified.