A legislator criticized China’s deceptive deployment of military vessels, which resemble fishing boats, to assert their presence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“Noong una at sa kasalukuyang panahon, kilala natin ang China na notorious sa paggawa ng mga pekeng produkto na itinitinda nila sa ating mga merkado. Ngayon, meron na rin silang fake na fishing boats—naka-disguise na fishing boats—na tinatauhan ng Chinese Coast Guard or Navy personnel at naka-deploy na sa WPS,” Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Robert Ace Barbers declared.
(At first, and until the present, we know China to be a notorious manufacturer of fake products which they sell in our markets. They now also have fake fishing boats—boats disguised as fishing boats but manned by Chinese Coast Guard or Navy personnel deployed in the WPS.)
Barbers revealed this was made known to him by the Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s report following recent talks with his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III in Palawan, regarding defense cooperative activities and regional security concerns.
The lawmaker also believes some Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers in the country are undercover Chinese military personnel sent to closely monitor and carry out other operations within the Philippines.
Authorities found authentic People’s Liberation Army (PLA) uniforms in an illegal POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga just this June.
