Heads should roll over Chinese recruitment in PCG – lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines — Whether in good faith or not, recruiting Chinese nationals into the Philippine Coast Guard should make the concerned government officials “accountable” even if the foreigners were just members of an auxiliary group, a lawmaker said yesterday.

“I’m sure there will be people who should be made accountable. It’s not what we can consider an honest mistake, I’m sure the concealment is something that’s malicious and that is a serious threat to national security,” House Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre emphasized.

Acidre, who represents party-list Tingog, said the claim of Coast Guard officials that the Chinese recruits have already been removed from their auxiliary force “is a welcome development.”

“Otherwise, it would have been really alarming that in our country’s security forces, even if they say they’re just PCG Auxiliaries, but the fact remains they were able to penetrate government. All along, I thought that this only happens in movies. But I think I was wrong.

“To think about it, when you are a PCG Auxiliary, you actually wear a uniform … of the PCG… the agency is involved in protecting the West Philippine Sea. So, it’s just like a double whammy for us,” he stressed.

He called on the PCG and agencies with similar auxiliary forces to adequately vet their recruits and volunteers.

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan admitted the recruitment of Chinese nationals in their auxiliary unit before a House committee on Wednesday in response to a question raised by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

“We already went to a process in coordination with relevant intelligence and national security concerned agencies of the government, and in fact, we have already delisted 36 of them (Chinese nationals),” Gavan said.

He said the Chinese were removed for failing to obtain the necessary security clearances.

Meanwhile, the PCG clarified Thursday that the role of Chinese nationals recruited as part of its auxiliary does not participate in any security operations of the agency.

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo vouched for the strictness of the PCG in its security operations, ensuring that national security is not compromised. –  Mark Ernest Villeza