Groups dispute warnings of PH economy at risk if China ties sour

MANILA, Philippines — Consumer and civil society groups on Thursday challenged business organizations to substantiate warnings that worsening Philippine-China relations could cost millions of Filipino jobs, cautioning against using economic fears to discourage the country from defending its sovereignty. CitizenWatch, Konsyumer At Mamamayan (KM), Bantay Konsyumer, Kuryente, Kalsada (BK3) and Democracy Watch issued separate statements