Nakatakdang talupan ni Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros ang Department of National Defense (DND), Bureau of Immigration (BI) at education authorities hinggil sa Pagdagsa ng Chinese students sa lalawigan ng Cagayan na pawang malapit sa EDCA site.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Hontiveros na inimbitahan ng Senado ang matataas na opisyal ng naturang ahensiya upang dumalo sa isasagawang imbestigasyon ng Senado hinggil sa Pagdagsa ng Chinese student na bumibili lamang ng diploma sa halagang P1 milyon hanggang P2 milyon kada kurso.
“One cannot help but be suspicious about the presence of these foreign students in Cagayan considering it is one of the sites for the Philippine and American troops’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA),” aniya.
Naunang naghain si Hontiveros ng resolusyon na pinaimbestigahan ang naturang isyu na posibleng paglabag sa proseso sa imigrasyon at natuklasang dumagsa sila sa lugar na malapit sa EDCA sites.
Aniya, nakapag-aalala ang sitwasyon sa pambansang seguridad kaya dapat nang tugunan ang pamahalaan ang isyu na lubhang nakababahala.
“We need to ask the BI, is this another phase of the so-called pastillas scam, like what happened to Chinese POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) employees?” ani Hontiveros sa interview.
“The DND should also be invited, precisely because one EDCA site is located in that province. So any and more possible resoure persons can be called to participate in the hearing to shed light on the issue and which would eventually be the basis of whatever recommendation we will come up,” giit niya.
Iimbitahan din ni Hontiveros ang CHED upang malaman ang kalagayan ng enrolment ng Chinese students sa Cagayan.
Umabot na sa mahigit 4,600 Chinese students ang nakaenrol saisang private university lamang na lubhang pinabulaanan ni Tuguegarao Mayor Maila Rosario Ting- Que.
Itinuring ni Mayor Ting-Que na pawang “racist and politicized” ang pagdami ng Chinese student sa lalawigan.
“That’s right. So we will likely invite CHED to know the status of the enrolment of these Chinese students; provide comments regarding the information reported by one of the teachers in the province,” ayon naman sa senador.
“We need to be enlightened especially on the context of our plans for our higher education, not only for foreigners but also for our own young Filipinos,” giit pa niya. -Ernie Reyes
