Kiko Pangilinan urges DND, AFP to probe 'soft invasion' by Chinese nationals

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday sounded the alarm on the possibility of Chinese nationals subtly invading the Philippines.

Citing a revelation made by Senator Risa Hontiveros during a Senate hearing on the "pastillas" scheme within the Bureau of Immigration, Pangilinan said that around four million Chinese nationals have entered the country since 2017.

"Karamihan dito ay dahil sa 'Pastillas', kurakot, at panunuhol sa BI. We call on the the DND (Department of National Defense) and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to look into the national security implications of what appears to be a ‘soft invasion’ by a foreign power in our shores," he said in a statement.

"Where are these four million? Are they still here? If they are here illegally, is there an organized effort to trace them and have them deported? Also, are there efforts to track the whereabouts and the movements of these foreigners? In the light of the West Philippine Sea conflict, the surreptitious entry of four million Chinese nationals is no laughing matter," he added.

The four million figure was first pointed out by Hontiveros during the Senate investigation into the pastillas scheme wherein Chinese high-rollers and offshore gaming workers are supposedly skirting the proper immigration process by paying grease money. She said the figure was from the BI records.

Hontiveros estimated that those behind the bribery scheme have earned as much as P30 billion.

Pangilinan said the government should tighten security measures on arriving Chinese nationals in the country and investigate the national security implications of the possible "soft invasion."

He also urged the Department of Justice to form an inter-agency task force with the DND, BI, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency

Earlier this week, Senator Richard Gordon also berated the Philippine Retirement Authority for allowing Chinese nationals as young as 35 years old to "retire" in the country.

Data from the PRA showed that there are 27,678 Chinese retirees in the Philippines—the highest among over 100 nationalities who chose the country as their retirement destination.—AOL, GMA News