Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

The Philippine Coast Guard sends off personnel under the Maritime Security Law Enforcement Command to six regions in the country in a ceremony in Manila on May 20, 2024. The MARSLEG is tasked to supervise and implement laws, policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations to the security law enforcement on sea transport and maritime infrastructures in the country. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

PCG sends off personnel

RG Cruz

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/175627933284520240520-pcg-maisleg-send-off-MD-6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine Coast Guard sends off personnel under the Maritime Security Law Enforcement Command to six regions in the country in a ceremony in Manila on May 20, 2024. The MARSLEG is tasked to supervise and implement laws, policies, guidelines, rules, and regulations to the security law enforcement on sea transport and maritime infrastructures in the country. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard is tightening the vetting process for recruiting auxiliary members after delisting 36 individuals who were later found to have &quot;shaky&quot; citizenship or identified as Chinese nationals, a ranking official said Wednesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/11/beijing-denies-chinese-sleeper-cells-in-ph-1621">Beijing denies &#x27;Chinese sleeper cells&#x27; in PH</a></div><p>&quot;Right now, we&#x27;re stepping up our vetting process, especially for the members of the PCGA (Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary),&quot; PCG Captain Xerxes Fernandez said during the Senate Committee on National Defense hearing.</p><p>&quot;I think the last one to be delisted was a Commodore Sy, which was caught just recently,&quot; he said, referring to businessman Joseph Sy, also known as Chen Zhong Zen, who was discovered to have allegedly secured fraudulent Philippine identity documents and gained entry into the PCGA.</p><p>&quot;He was, I think, part of the Coast Guard, and entered into the Coast Guard Auxiliary in 2018.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/26/hontiveros-warns-of-security-risks-in-chinese-businessman-s-fake-filipino-identity-1455">Hontiveros warns of security risks in Chinese businessman&#x27;s fake Filipino identity</a></div><p>Fernandez cited foreign agents&#x27; &quot;creeping intrusion into our security environment or security infrastructure&quot; as among the reasons to tighten the vetting process in accepting members of the PCGA, a volunteer arm and social civic organization under the PCG.</p><p>He explained that those delisted had managed to enter into the PCGA because of the old rules. He noted the 2018 PCG manual &quot;was not yet that stringent.&quot; </p><p>&quot;But right now, we&#x27;re drafting more stringent measures on how to vet these members of the PCG. Because the PCG, during that time, I think, [they] even accepted foreign nationals. Because this is a sociocivic organization. This is not really an organic portion of the Philippine Coast Guard,&quot; Fernandez said.</p><p>&quot;Maybe because when we dug deeper into their backgrounds, I think their citizenship was kind of shaky,&quot; he said, referring to the delisted PCGA members.</p><p>&quot;So it was prudent for us to delist them rather than having them in the list of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SECURITY CLEARANCE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Fernandez also pointed out that the PCGA does not have any security clearance.</p><p>&quot;Because they should not be privy to any law enforcement or security functions of the Philippine Coast Guard. They are just there to help us in safety and environmental protection,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/26/tolentino-eyes-regular-assessment-of-workers-to-rid-ph-of-china-s-sleeper-cells-1555">Tolentino eyes ‘regular assessment’ of workers vs China spies, sleeper cells</a></div><p>Fernandez, however, refused to rule out if they pose a threat to national security.</p><p>&quot;We could not say that categorically, because they are also attending some of our functions. And, you know, intelligence can be gathered from different sources. Even from simple conversations, if you are really a well-trained agent, you can gather intelligence,&quot; he said.</p><p>Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros urged the PCG to be more careful.</p><p>&quot;You should be wary about that,&quot; Dela Rosa said.</p><p>Hontiveros, for her part, said: &quot;And in fact, Captain, gaya ng pinag-uusapan n&#x27;yo ni Sen. Dela Rosa, nakaka-attend nga po sila kahit ng social functions ng Philippine Coast Guard. So nakaka-fraternize sila, nakaka-develop sila ng relationships, nakaka-develop sila ng level of trust and confidence.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QRl8YFM7hIY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Philippine Coast Guard is tightening the vetting process for recruiting auxiliary members after delisting 36 individuals who were later found to have "shaky" citizenship or identified as Chinese nationals, a ranking official said Wednesday.</p>

The Philippine Coast Guard is tightening the vetting process for recruiting auxiliary members after delisting 36 individuals who were later found to have "shaky" citizenship or identified as Chinese nationals, a ranking official said Wednesday.

PCG says 'stepping up' vetting of auxiliary members after discovering Chinese nationals within ranks

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PCG says 'stepping up' vetting of auxiliary members after discovering Chinese nationals within ranks

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 27, 2025 03:24 PM PHT

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Philippine Coast Guard

PCG

Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary

Joseph Sy

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