The military is in the process of validating reports about the reported presence in the country of some 2,000 to 3,000 members of China’s military, which it said is a serious concern.
“We are in the process of validating the report of Sen. [Panfilo] Lacson, that being a matter of serious concern,” said Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. “I have my staff for intelligence [to] confirm said reports in coordination with other relevant agencies of government,”he added.
Earlier, Lacson, chairman of the Senate’s Committee on National Defense and Security, said he got hold of the information that up to 3,000 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are in the country on “immersion mission” and other for still unknown purposes.
He said the information, which he wanted to revalidated by the government, came from his source, whom he did not identify.
Sen. Richard J. Gordon, for his part, branded the members of the PLA, who may be in the country, as the “fifth column,” or intelligence personnel.
The reported presence of Chinese intelligence members followed the recovery of two PLA identification cards from two Chinese who shot and killed a compatriot at a restaurant in Bel-Air, Makati, last week.
The incident came as the Senate is investigating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and the influx of Chinese online gaming workers into the country.
Gordon raised the possibility that POGOs are being used for spying activities as he also disclosed the smuggling into the country since December of at least $370 million in Chinese “dirty money.”
The smuggling, carried out with the help of corrupt policemen, soldiers and airport policemen, who acted as “escorts” of couriers, was confirmed by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
Guerrero, in his report to the Department of Finance, said the money could be used for terrorism and other criminal activities.
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