Palace: Gov’t to validate alleged entry of Chinese soldiers in PH

MANILA, Philippines — The government will validate Senator Panfilo Lacson’s revelation that approximately 2,000 to 3,000 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are in the Philippines.

On Wednesday, Lacson, a former police chief, revealed that he received information that a “good number” of Chinese PLA members have sneaked into the Philippines possibly for an “immersion mission.”

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, stressed that Lacson’s information needs validation.

“I’m sure the AFP is already validating that, given that it is being reported by no less than a senator of the Republic,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing Thursday.

“We have to validate that first. We cannot be making statements relative to anything that is based on speculation and unverified reports. We do not want to be irresponsible in issuing a statement,” he added.

But in the absence of validation, the Palace official stressed that Lacson’s revelation is still mere speculation.

“If that is validated, then we will make our appropriate response. Until such time, it’s just speculation,” Panelo said.

PLA is the unified organization of China’s land, sea, and air forces and is one of the largest military forces in the world.

Last week, authorities recovered PLA IDs in the possession of two Chinese suspects in the death of another Chinese national, who was shot inside a VIP room of a restaurant in Makati City.

JE