MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Richard Gordon on Monday said he had received information that certain Chinese citizens had been “assuming” the identities of deceased Filipinos with the help of corrupt personnel of local civil registry offices.
Gordon shared the information a day after saying that China may be using Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) for intelligence and for bringing in money to fund espionage in the country.
Malacañang wants Gordon to share his information on his claims that Philippine offshore gaming hubs were being used for intelligence gathering.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo also urged the senator to provide intelligence reports of his allegation that $160 million was brought in by Chinese visitors since December last year.
“If the good senator has information of that, I think they should provide us with intelligence reports so that we can pursue the line of belief of that matter,” Panelo said at a press briefing.
IDs of PLA members
He made the remarks amid Gordon’s claims that members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) may have infiltrated Pogos for intelligence-gathering activities.
This was after IDs of alleged PLA members were recovered from two Chinese nationals who were suspects in a shooting incident in Makati City last week.
Panelo said the Palace may also conduct its own investigation, but noted that President Duterte was likely to wait for the results of the Senate’s own probe into Pogos.
As to the possible involvement of Chinese PLA members in last week’s shooting incident in Makati, Panelo assured the public that the government was prosecuting perpetrators of all crimes committed in the country.
The Philippine National Police maintained on Monday that there was no evidence that Pogos were being used as fronts for Chinese espionage.
At a chance interview in Camp Crame, the PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen.Bernard Banac, nevertheless said the PNP was looking into Gordon’s claim on Pogos, including the increasing number of crimes involving Chinese visitors.
He pointed out that the PNP had not received information that Pogos were serving as fronts for Chinese espionage. “There is no indication or evidence yet that they are working as spies,” Banac said.