DFA to probe Chinese diplomats’ ‘illegal acts’

MANILA, Philippines — The “illegal and unlawful” activities of diplomatic officials will be investigated following the potential Anti-Wiretapping Law violation committed by officials of the Chinese embassy in Manila.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) probe stemmed from an unverified recorded phone call between a Chinese diplomat and AFP Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, wherein they discussed a “new model” agreement on rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippine government is firm and united in “respecting and upholding the rule of law in both the domestic and international milieus,” the DFA said yesterday in a statement.

“It is in this context that the Philippines – as a responsible member of the international community of nations – has consistently called for adherence to international law, including the United Nations Charter, the Vienna Conventions governing inter-state relations and in the maritime domain the 1982 UN (Convention on the Law of the Sea), among others,” it added.

The Chinese embassy released to select media the recording and transcript of the phone conversation between an unnamed embassy official and Carlos in January.

“Foreign diplomats accredited to the Philippines are accorded the necessary liberties to conduct their diplomatic duties, with the expectation that they, in turn, will conduct their diplomatic activities with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, in pursuit of common interests and mutually beneficial outcomes,” the DFA maintained.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año have called for an investigation.

On May 7, the DFA confirmed that no Cabinet-level official of the Marcos administration agreed to any Chinese proposal on Ayungin Shoal.

The Philippines has not entered into any agreement abandoning its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, including the Ayungin Shoal, the DFA noted.

On issues of such importance, the DFA emphasized that any agreements or arrangements would be made only if authorized at the highest level of government.

On May 8, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the phone call could have been fabricated using deepfake audio.

Strip BI of visa power

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) should be stripped of its power to convert tourist visas to student visas amid the reported influx of Chinese students near two Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) military sites in Cagayan, according to Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

“This arbitrary power to convert visas is the worst legalized scheme that can be used by unscrupulous personnel for monetary gain,” he said yesterday.

Barbers urged President Marcos to scrap Executive Order 285 issued by former president Joseph Estrada in 2000.

The measure provided guidelines on the “entry and stay of foreign students in the Philippines.”

The BI’s power to convert tourist visas to student visas “can be abused” so it must be abolished, Barbers said.

The 16,200 student visas granted in 2023 by the BI to Chinese nationals are “simply unacceptable,” he added.

“Never mind if other countries grant more, we should never use that as our yardstick, given our tense relationship with China,” he noted.

The DFA should be the sole agency in charge of granting visas to foreigners, he maintained, as they possess the expertise to determine foreigners’ eligibility for a student visa.

Last month, Barbers expressed concern over the presence of Chinese students near EDCA sites, claiming they could be spies sent to gather intelligence.

POGOs near camps

The suspected presence of Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hubs in vital installations, including those near police camps, will be investigated by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“It has come to our attention through various open sources and media reports that there are alleged POGO hubs located near vital installations,” PNP chief publicist Col. Jean Fajardo said yesterday at a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Validating the information is needed, considering its potential national security implications, she noted.

The issuance of licenses and permits for POGO operations falls outside the PNP’s regulatory authority, she clarified.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. is responsible for issuing permits to POGOs and businesses must obtain permits from local government units, she explained.

The PNP’s intelligence units are actively validating reported locations of POGO hubs and their proximity to police camps and other vital installations, Fajardo said.

DFA chief in Canada

During his May 6 to 10 visit to Canada, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo conveyed the government’s hope for Filipino professionals to practice in Canada, as well as stronger protection for temporary foreign workers and international students.

Manalo expressed this when he met with Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller, the DFA said yesterday.

He also met with Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen, Trade Minister Mary Ng, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Minister for Small Business Rechie Valdez and Member of Parliament for Eglinton-Lawrence Marco Mendicino.

Members of the Canada-Philippines Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group also met Manalo at a reception hosted by Philippine Ambassador to Canada Maria Andrelita Austria. — Mark Ernest Villeza