Two senators - Imee Marcos and Ronald ‘’Bato’’ dela Rosa - seek a whole of government approach on the inflow of foreigners with questionable backgrounds and the rise of kidnapping cases caused mostly by the Philippine Overseas Gaming Operator (POGO) operations that affect the country’s national security.
Senator Joseph Victor ‘’JV’’ Ejercito also revealed in today’s public hearing by the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee chaired by dela Rosa that there are Chinese citizens who come into the country using identification papers of dead Filipinos.
Given the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China, Ejercito said it is easy to spot a person with military bearing compared to the easy-going gait of POGO workers. He was referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Not all Chinese-looking foreigners are Chinese. They could be Malaysians, Burmese or Cambodians, resource speakers said.
It is, thus, necessary for the Philippines to reach out to its Southeast Asian security network as foreigners such as those from Burma, Cambodia and Malaysia come into the country and work as syndicate members, mostly at POGOs, Marcos said.
The Filipino-Chinese community expressed fears of the rising cases of kidnapping where the victims, after the payment of ransom has been made by their families, are then sold to other groups.
But most of the kidnapping cases in the country are related to the multi-billion-peso operations of POGO operators conducted by Chinese because China considers POGO operations as illegal.
Marcos said she is pleased that the Chinese community understand each other and that they could ‘’recommend the best approach to make.’’
She also pleaded with the PNP to work closely with local government units with the regard to rape cases involving school girls.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) testified that, after an economic slow down in the country since 2020 caused by Covid-19 pandemic in the country, it has resumed implementing its biometric system to incoming travelers.
Marcos said that clearly, the Philippines has to adopt a whole of government approach by being creative and innovative ‘’since we do not have yet a central data base, not even for our nationals.’’
Let us put in place a real whole of government with a list of foreign nationals primarily and sharing them with law enforcement agencies, she added.
Since the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has a list of work permits issued to POGO workers, Marcos said the Department of Trade and Investments (DTI) should compel its investors to produce these lists ‘’and the BI to provide its list as well.’’
She questioned the entry of foreigners ‘’classified’’ as retirees in the Philippine Retirement Agency with $50,000 although they are very young at the age of 35.
"All these informations should be shared with he Philippine National Police (PNP)," and others, she added.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) said POGO had the highest revenue of P6-billion in 2018.
Dela Rosa sald foreigners engaged in questionable activities should be deported immediately because they are wrecking havoc on the economy.
Although the PNP has given assurance that there is nothing to fear, Marcos asked aloud why there is fear in the country.
While the PNP said there has been only 10 kidnapping cases reported to them, two Filipino-Chinese groups maintained that the figure is more than 30 cases reported to their chapters but that this could be more because of unreported cases.
There are times dela Rosa would utter expletives and sometimes castigate the PNP ‘’but take It as a challenge,’’ dela Rosa, a former PNP chief said
Ko Benchum, executive committee member of the Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc, (FFCCCI), said the Chinese community is ‘’worried’’ over the sale of kidnapped victims after they family have already paid the ransom.
Ko stressed that not all Chinese-looking persons are Chinese because they could be Vietnamese or Cambodians.
He said the Chinese government is very strict in allowing its citizens leave mainland China.
‘’Very few are allowed to go out to the Philippines,’’ he added.
Police Lt. General Jose Chiquito Malayo assured dela Rosa and the Chinese community that ‘’everythig is under control’’ ’and the federation members are in good hands.
` He said violent incidents that have been spearing in social media did not the take place in the Philippines.”
After four hours, dela Rosa announced that his committee has ended its committee hearing,
The hearing was trigged by a resolution of Marcos on the "alarming reports of a rise in kidnapping disappearances and killing of women in the country.’’