MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — Opposition senatorial candidate Gary Alejano warned Friday against the possibility that China may intervene in the May 13 midterm elections allegedly to maintain a “favorable political environment” and “favorable economic policies.”
“Kaya nga dapat ang China dapat ‘wag makialam sa eleksyon ng Pilipinas (That is why China should not meddle in our election) because it also happened in Sri Lanka, in order to maintain favorable policies to China they wanted the status quo,” Alejano, a member of the eight-man Otso Diretso opposition slate, said in an interview before the “Talakayan 2019” senatorial and gubernatorial forum here.
“Ang panawagan natin bilang sovereign country hindi dapat makialam ang China rito (Our call as a sovereign country is for China not to meddle in our election),” he added.
Asked if he sees any sign that China is encroaching into the country’s political affairs, the former marine officer insinuated a connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s ruling political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
“Kasi sa strategy nila sa kanilang anti-access, area-denial strategy (Because it is in their anti-access and anti-denial strategy)… it’s to deny its competitor like the United States from influencing policies, second economic policies, and the culture,” Alejano explained.
“Eh nakita natin ‘yung favorable political environment would result (in) favorable economic policies to China so ‘yun ang ginagawa nila sa ibang bansa,” he added.
(They’ve seen that a favorable political environment results in favorable economic policies for China. So they also do it in other countries.)
In 2017, PDP-Laban entered into a partnership with CPC (China Communist Party), including having its members learn the ways and ideology of China’s sole governing party.
READ: PDP-Laban out to learn ideology from Communist Party of China
READ: Pimentel allays concerns over PDP-Laban ties with China’s reds
Alejano issued the warning on the heels of Duterte’s Thursday bilateral meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping where the former reportedly raised the issue of the West Philippine Sea, particularly the situation in Pag-asa Island.
READ: Philippines and China keep lines open on maritime row
Call for transparency
Former House of Representatives deputy speaker Erin Tañada, for his part, called for transparency on the deals and loans entered into by the Philippines with China during the bilateral talks.
Tañada said Xi’s ¥ 1-billion grant to the Philippines, for one, should be scrutinized.
The opposition senatorial candidate asked about the terms of the loans and the interest rate. He also questioned if it was good for the Filipino people who are suffering and for our fishermen who cannot fish in our waters.
“At ang tanong dito eh good for whom? Good for the few or good for the Filipino people na naghihirap dito sa ating bansa?” he added.
Aside from Alejano and Tañada, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno also attended the forum.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Meynardo Montealegre earlier said the Philippines and China would sign five bilateral agreements during the President’s visit to Beijing from April 25 to 27.
“Well, we are looking at some possible agreements in the areas of education, anti-corruption, official development assistance as well as drug rehabilitation,” he said in a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday. /ee
READ: Philippines, China to sign 5 agreements in Beijing