HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre on Thursday called for accountability on those who allowed Chinese nationals to be recruited as members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary.
He told a news conference that the presence of Chinese citizens in the Coast Guard threatens the security of the nation.
“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,” he said.
“Bakit sila nakapasok. Sino ‘yung mga nagpahintulot? Who turned a blind eye? I’m sure, hindi naman pwedeng nangyari lang ‘yon ng sila lang,” he said.
He said the claim of Coast Guard officials that the Chinese recruits have 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 ‘no, ay napapasukan tayo. Akala ko nga, sa pelikula lang nangyayari ‘yung mga ganong bagay diba?” Acidre asked.
“To think, when you are a PCG Auxiliary, you actually wear a uniform and for the uniform of the PCG use, the agency na involved sa pag protekta ng West Philippine Sea parang double whammy naman tayo doon diba?” he stressed.
He called on the Coast Guard and agencies with similar auxiliary forces to adequately vet their recruits and volunteers.
“I call on all the agencies that have auxiliary bodies or institutions like the PCG Auxiliary. I hope they look into the qualifications. I hope that this should be a lesson for us moving forward,” he said.
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.
Barbers said the Chinese nationals should not have been recruited in the first place, since the Philippines is in conflict with China over the West Philippine Sea.
