By Modesto P. Sa-onoy
Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed the other day chilling information that imperils the security of the Philippines. The senator, chairman of the committee on national defense and security, said that he received information from a “fairly reliable source” that “2,000 to 3,000 PLA personnel are now in the country on immersion missions and for other still unknown purposes.” He refers to the People’s Liberation Army, the armed forces of China, the world’s largest standing army.
The term “immersion” means infiltrating into the mainstream of the people, in this case, the Filipino, with the intent of knowing everything about them and making friends with them. We have many Filipinos of Chinese origin. They are the most vulnerable for infiltration. We also know of Chinese incursions on our islands. It is not a wild thought that China wants the Philippines. They even claim that the Philippine belongs to them and showed faked ancient maps to prove we were part of China’s Celestial Empire.
Lacson said, “The intelligence community should exert extra effort to gather information in this regard.” Indeed we cannot underestimate the Chinese intentions that are becoming clear as the inquiry being conducted by Senator Richard Gordon showed thousands of Chinese have been coming here for the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations or POGO and bringing millions of dollars that are suspected of being laundered through this operation. Gordon’s investigation had identified the couriers that brought in US$470 million.
The senator issued the statement as the Blue Ribbon committee, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, started an inquiry into the connection of the arrival of thousands of Chinese nationals in the country – mostly through POGOs – to the entry of $470 million in cash over the past several months. Administration critics have warned that the seemingly unrestrained entry of Chinese poses security risks.
Lacson, Gordon and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon had already warned that China may have already begun taking advantage of what they considered the growing security void caused by President Duterte’s termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US.
As I wrote earlier, China could not have anything better than the Philippines without a defense shield from a country with capabilities to prevent China from violating our sovereignty. President Duterte, by terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement and rendering our other defense treaties with the United States has now practically voided, handed the Philippines to China. The flocking of Chinese military into the Philippines through a legal opening is a come-on.
Indeed, as Senator Gordon has noted, we cannot discount the possibility that China has been sending agents to the country, considering that most POGO workers are males of military age. All the employees of POGO are Chinese. With the Chinese military control of civilian life in China, these POGO workers, if they are not military can be easily ordered to provide information needed by the military among them.
Senator Gordon expressed alarm over the influx of US dollars because the money could be not only for laundering by criminal syndicates but could also be used to fund espionage activities, buy arms or even finance destabilization activities. The communist NPA could make good use of additional funding to topple the government and install a communist one that will be a puppet of China. Gordon even showed evidence of Chinese gobbling up rented homes in upscale subdivisions in Parañaque City. The Chinese have even a firing range there.
Senator Gordon believes “it was impossible that Duterte is not aware of the effects of the POGOs and apparently the Department of Finance and the Anti-Money Laundering Council seem to be taking their cue from the “soft stance” of the President on issues involving China. He added that the Bureau of Customs has long flagged the entry of huge amounts of dollar cash, but the DOF has not taken action.”
Add this to the Bureau of Customs engaged in payoffs that allowed the Chinese to enter the Philippines for a fee because the “cue” seems to be the softness of the President towards China.
Increased infiltration of the Philippines by the Chinese military personnel is precursors of undesirable intents. The Japanese came here under various disguises years prior to World War II. When their invasion forces arrived, they knew every nook and corner of our islands and the possible collaborators. Can China be doing differently?
We must be forewarned.
