Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Monday warned of the possibility of espionage activities after the Philippine Coast Guard found 13 undocumented Chinese nationals and a uniform resembling that of China’s People’s Liberation Army on a dredger vessel in Mariveles, Bataan.
“The presence of undocumented Chinese nationals aboard a vessel engaged in such contentious operations is a chilling revelation. What were they doing there? Who permitted their entry? Were they acting as laborers, or, as some fear, engaging in activities of an intelligence-gathering nature?” Hontiveros saidi in a privilege speech.
“Espionage is not merely the stuff of spy novels. As we have sadly learned due to recent events, it is a clear and present danger in the modern geopolitical landscape. Sabi nga ng NICA sa aming natapos na na POGO hearings in which a Philippine Mayor was confirmed by our intelligence apparatus to be an ‘agent of influence’, lahat po ng rehiyon ng Pilipinas ay infiltrated na ng agents ng Chinese Communist Party,” she added, referring to dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
Guo was said to be an agent of China’s Ministry of State Security as claimed by self-confessed Chinese spy She Zhijiang. The allegation was denied by the former mayor whose fingerprints were earlier discovered to be identical to that of Chinese passport holder Guo Hua Ping.
“When foreign nationals operate covertly in our territory, it compromises not only our security apparatus but also the trust of our citizens in the government’s ability to protect them,” Hontiveros said.
“I realize that these are very fluid political times, with political events still unfolding even as we start to think about our Noche Buena. Ang kinakatakot ko po, dear colleagues, mga kasama, ay habang busy ang bansa sa mga kaganapan dito, nasasalisihan tayo ng mga kalaban,” she noted
According to Hontiveros, the company behind the dredging activity in Bataan was the China state-run firm China Harbour Engineer Company (CHEC) which was earlier blacklisted by the United States for its alleged role in the red militarization of the South China Sea, as well as the World Trade Organization (WTO) for its alleged corrupt practices.
This company, she said, is a subsidiary of the China Communications Construction Company which she earlier wanted to be blacklisted due to its alleged involvement in large-scale sand quarrying activities.
Hontiveros cited the statement of Douglas Farrah, an international analyst specializing in Latin American affairs, who stated that: “One of the Chinese business giants that the Communist Party uses for everything is CHEC, part of that monster called China that moves with many arms, but is always the same animal.”
“Kung may AEC (Alien Employment Certificate) sila, bakit po kailangan magtago? Bakit po kailangang wala ang pangalan nila sa manifest, gayong legal naman ang kanilang gawain dito sa bansa natin? Kataka-taka ito,” she said.
Hontiveros then urged the government to rescind contracts with blacklisted companies like the CHEC which commit violations in Philippines waters.
She urged the Department of Justice through the Bureau of Immigration to probe the undocumented individuals aboard the vessels and review their AEC issued by the Department of Labor and Employment.
She likewise asked for a Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ exhaustive assessment of the environmental damage caused by the dredging operations and to hold responsible parties accountable.
A review of all existing agreements that allowed foreign entities to engage in resource extraction or related activities within our waters is necessary, she said, to ensure that these agreements align not just with ecological preservation but also national security.
Hontiveros also urged to equip the country’s maritime forces and intelligence agencies like the PCG with tools, technology, and resources needed to monitor and safeguard our maritime territories effectively.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
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