Solon defends proposed probe on 'influx' of Chinese students in Cagayan

Cagayan 3rd District Rep. Joseph “Jojo” Lara defended on Tuesday his proposal to conduct a House inquiry into the alleged influx of Chinese students in his province’s schools, amid the growing tensions between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea.

He denied observations that such moves fan Sinophobia and racism. 

“Walang basis ‘yung pagsasabing ‘yan, kasi ang talagang intention ko naman po na naghain niyan ay para imbestigahan lang ‘yung paglaganap ng international foreign students, nagkataon po, mga Chinese students po ito,” Lara said.

The lawmaker explained that his proposal was prompted by a Cagayan university’s report in October last year that around 4,600 Chinese students either completed studying or were then enrolled in their school. The university, however, failed to send a representative to the compliance meeting scheduled by Lara to determine the names and other information about the Chinese students.

“Ang pag-uusap namin noon ay mag-submit sila ng saan itong Chinese students, ano ang mga kinukuha, saan sila nakatira, ano ang terms nila? Kasi sila ang nagsasabi, may 3 months, may 6 months, may 1 year. Syempre itong mga katanungang ito, basic questions na gustong malaman din ng ating mga kababayan… Nag-set kami for compliance meeting, hindi na po sila nag-attend,” he said.

“Ang fear lang, kung hindi legit na students, worrisome na ‘yun. Ano ang purpose na pumunta doon… Katulad ng naririnig ko na rin na mga komentaryo ngayon, may mga sleeper cells… sa amin mismo nakakabahala. Kasi kami mismo ang nandoon sa lugar,” Lara added.

“I will be the last person na magsasabi niyan, anti-Chinese… My wife is of Chinese descent din… Sa tingin namin ‘yung 400 plus, mukhang unusual naman talaga. Marami pa rin,” he noted.

Lara’s House Resolution 1666 is pending first reading at the lower chamber of Congress.

The Bureau of Immigration said last week that around 1,500 Chinese nationals received student visas from the agency last year, after they were endorsed by a legitimate university in Cagayan, adding that they were “legally processed” and “completed documentation”. 

Of this figure, only around 400 are on site in Cagayan, based on the information gathered by the BI. The rest are on distance learning.