Is China trying to interfere with Philippine politics? Solon asks

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez has accused China of trying to interfere with Philippine politics when it criticized a House of Representatives lawmaker for seeking a probe into the influx of Chinese students in Cagayan.

Gutierrez in a privilege speech asked why China thinks it has the authority to question the motives of lawmakers, after Cagayan Rep. Jojo Lara filed a resolution asking the House to check why Chinese students are visiting Cagayan.

Lara said House Resolution (HR) No. 1666 seeks a House inquiry on the alleged influx of Chinese students in Cagayan and its capital of Tuguegarao — two local government units supposedly supportive of China’s initiatives. However, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said such calls for a probe only tries to incite suspicion against Chinese nationals.

READ: China embassy: Issue vs Sino students reeks of ‘McCarthyism’

“The Chinese Embassy would chalk this up to sinophobia, a resurgence of McCarthyism, and would attack and malign Congressman Lara’s motives for the resolution,” said Gutierrez of 1-Rider party-list, during Tuesday’s session.

“Why does the Embassy of China presume to have the authority to tell us, the representatives of the Filipino people, our motives?  We take exception to this statement,” he added.

Just asking for details

According to Gutierrez, Lara did not even file a bill to discriminate against Chinese individuals — it was just a resolution asking for details regarding activities within his district.

Gutierrez said Lara has the right to do that — and China must not interfere with it.

READ: Calls grow to probe Chinese influx as national security issue

“This statement, my dear colleagues, an accusation was levied against Congressman Lara, a sitting representative of the people of the third district of Cagayan.  It should be noted that that issue isn’t a law passed by Congressman Lara, it isn’t even a proposed bill.  There is no government policy or program being questioned,” he noted.

“It was simply a resolution seeking an inquiry into what the good Congressman sees as a cause of concern within his district.  For the Chinese embassy to issue a statement directly attacking the inquiry and the motives that Cong. Lara may have — is this the non-interferance that China espouses?” he asked.

Reports of Chinese students flying to Cagayan to study spiked mid-April, with claims that some of the students are even shelling out P2 million just to get their degrees.

READ: Some Chinese students in Cagayan allegedly pay P2 million to get degrees

Sleeper cells?

Lara and other lawmakers have asked the House to probe the issue as it can be a national security concern, given fears that Chinese sleeper cells could be present in the country.

Furthermore, Cagayan is located in a strategic location — close to Benham Rise where two Chinese research vessels were seen in March, and home to two sites for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the United States.

While the real reason for Chinese students staying in Cagayan has not been ascertained, Gutierrez said Lara cannot be faulted for asking that matters be clarified.

“But if there is any truth to the claim, even a semblance, would this not warrant an investigation? Would this not be a national security concern? Is that not the whole point of an inquiry, to ferret out the truth and bolster our laws?” Gutierrez asked.

“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. It does not require the most perceptive of minds to note an escalation of tension with our northern neighbor across the sea,” he added.

The exchanges between lawmakers and the Chinese embassy come at a time when tensions are high over the West Philippine Sea (WPS).  Despite warnings from the Philippine government and its allies — US and Japan — to refrain from using the Coast Guard in a coercive manner, vessels still do water cannon attacks.

Earlier, the Philippine Coast Guard said China has elevated its aggressiveness in the WPS, saying that the China Coast Guard used “very fatal” water cannon pressure in the latest Scarborough Shoal incident.