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Rep. Ace Barbers chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs on February 21 , 2023 tackling House Bill 90 which would institute the magna carta of benefits for the officers and personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Handout

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CONGRESS-PDEA

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17143170683821713259415129CHED-RO2-Facebook.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="This photo from the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office 2 Facebook page shows University of Cagayan Valley students and CHED regional staff welcoming CHED Chair J. Prospero De Vera at Tuguegarao City Airport on Nov.17, 2023. CHED Regional Office 2 Facebook page"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">This photo from the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office 2 Facebook page shows University of Cagayan Valley students and CHED regional staff welcoming CHED Chair J. Prospero De Vera at Tuguegarao City Airport on Nov.17, 2023. <em>CHED Regional Office 2 Facebook page</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said it is conducting intelligence monitoring on Chinese students in Cagayan as their supposed influx in the province involves national security.</p><p>In a media forum in Quezon City, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the police are in coordination with other security forces to conduct an investigation.</p><p>&quot;This involves national security concern at ang PNP, katuwang po ng ibang security forces, ay nagkakalap din at nagko-conduct ng intelligence to confirm nga &#x27;yong veracity ng presence nitong mga Chinese nationals, particularly doon sa malapit sa mga EDCA sites natin,&quot; Fajardo told reporters.</p><p>The official noted though that there have been no reports of any illegal activities involving Chinese in Cagayan, based on the coordination with the provincial police.</p><p>Cagayan is home to two military sites that American troops can use under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which has made some sectors skeptical about the perceived increase in Chinese nationals there.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/16/afp-looking-into-reported-influx-of-chinese-students-in-cagayan-1614">READ: AFP &#x27;looking into&#x27; reported influx of Chinese students in Cagayan</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/18/security-analyst-armed-by-influx-of-chinese-students-in-cagayan-1326">READ: Security analyst alarmed by influx of Chinese students in Cagayan</a></div><div><strong>HOUSE PROBE</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171431727273820230221-congress-pdea-HO--6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Rep. Ace Barbers chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs on February 21 , 2023 tackling House Bill 90 which would institute the magna carta of benefits for the officers and personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Handout"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rep. Ace Barbers chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs on February 21 , 2023 tackling House Bill 90 which would institute the magna carta of benefits for the officers and personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). <em>Handout</em></span></span></span></strong>Two Cagayan lawmakers have filed resolutions seeking a House investigation on the said matter.</div><p>Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the House probe will push through despite criticisms that this is a form of &quot;sinophobia&quot; and racism against Chinese.</p><p>&quot;Hindi naman sinophobic ang aksyon na ito na gagawin sa Kongreso. May nag-file po ng dalawang resolution sa Kongreso and definitely, kailangan po naming i-tackle at pag-usapan &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>Barbers maintained the presence of Chinese students near the EDCA sites is alarming.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yong presensiya ng gano&#x27;n karaming Chinese students ay very alarming. &#x27;Yong inconspicuous na lugar… Sorry, kasi kung magma-masters ka, most likely ang choice mo, if you&#x27;re a foreigner, &#x27;yong mga universities sa Metro Manila... and all those universities sa university belt,&quot; Barbers said.</p><p>&quot;Pero kapag nando&#x27;n ka sa area ng university na malapit doon sa EDCA site, hindi ba dapat eh magtanong tayo,&quot; he continued.</p><p>Earlier reports revealed that there were 4,600 Chinese students at St. Paul University in Tuguegarao City, but the institution clarified they only have an admission of 486 foreigners for graduate studies, which includes not just Chinese, but also Americans, Indonesians, Japanese, and Vietnamese.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/19/bi-says-1-500-chinese-nationals-got-student-visas-in-cagayan-after-being-legally-processed-1544">READ: BI says 1,500 Chinese nationals got student visas in Cagayan after being &#x27;legally processed&#x27;</a></div><p>The Bureau of Immigration, meanwhile, said at least 1,516 Chinese were granted student visas in Cagayan.</p><p>For his part, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said there is a need to look into the alleged &quot;discrepancies&quot; in the data.</p><p>&quot;At hindi basta-basta discrepancy. It&#x27;s not being sinophobic,&quot; he said. &quot;Dapat ma-check talaga, hindi po biro &#x27;yon, from 400 naging 1,000.&quot;</p><p>Meanwhile, Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities President Bernard Nicolas Villamor joined the Cagayan universities and colleges in condemning the statements and news reports &quot;that appear to undermine and put doubt into the enrollment of foreign nationals as students.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The baseless reports and insinuations discredit and disparage the diligent work put in by these esteemed colleges and universities in building and maintaining their reputation,&quot; Villamor said in a statement.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/21/pimentel-calls-on-ched-to-probe-alleged-influx-of-chinese-students-in-cagayan-2136">READ: Pimentel calls on CHED to probe alleged influx of Chinese students in Cagayan</a></div><div><strong>&#x27;POLICE YOUR RANKS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, Barbers called on the Chinese community in the Philippines to police themselves following the involvement of some Chinese nationals in crime and illegal drugs.</p><p>&quot;Wala hong basahan&#x27;yong sinasabi na sinophobic [ang imbestigasyon]. Bakit? &#x27;Yong mga drogang nahuhuli dito, 90 porsyento mahigit, ang involved ay Chinese,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;I urge the Chinese community na kung maaari po sana, you police your ranks... It&#x27;s not anti-China dito,&quot; Barbers added.</p>

<p>The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said it is conducting intelligence monitoring on Chinese students in Cagayan as their supposed influx in the province involves national security.</p>

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said it is conducting intelligence monitoring on Chinese students in Cagayan as their supposed influx in the province involves national security.

PNP conducts intel monitoring on Chinese students in Cagayan

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PNP conducts intel monitoring on Chinese students in Cagayan

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published April 28, 2024 11:35 PM PHT

Read More:

China

Cagayan

Tuguegarao

students

foreigners

EDCA

Ace Barbers

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