Manila, Philippines – Pinaiimbestigahan ng mga kongresista ang ulat na recruitment sa mga retiradong pulis at sundalo para umanib sa mga Chinese company na pinalalabas na nakabase sa Amerika o Yuropa.
Sa pamamagitan ng House Resolution 1682 ay isinulong nina ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s Party Arlene Brosas at Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Danniel Manuel na siyasatin ng House Committee on National Defense and Security ang nabanggit na ulat.
Ang isyu ay nauna ng ibinabala ni Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) Undersecretary for Cybersecurity and Upskilling Jeffrey Ian Dy.
Ayon kay Dy nakababahala aniya ang recruitment na ito sa mga retiradong pulis at militar bilang mga online analysts at maging ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ay naniniwalang ang aktibidad na ito ay upang makapangalap ng data sa kasundaluhan.
“Whereas, Col. Padilla said that the site used for the said recruitment has been taken down but the military has secured screenshots of comments expressing interest to apply. Reportedly, there were several active military personnel express intent to apply for the position through Facebook,” ayon sa resolusyon.
Banggit pa sa HR 1682 ang naunang pagtanggi ng Chinese Embassy sa Pilipinas ukol sa paratang ng recruitment sa pagsasabing “merely malicious speculation and groundless accusation against China with the purpose of inciting Sinophobic sentiments in the Philippines.”
Ngunit iginiit ng tatlong mambabatas na maging ang ulat ng pagkakaroon ng “sleeper cells” at recruitment sa mga retiradong pulis at militar ay seryosong isyu na hindi dapat balewalain sa gitna ng patuloy na agresyon ng China sa West Philippine Sea.
“Now Therefore Be It Resolved, that the House of Representatives, through the Committee on National Defense and Security, conduct an investigation on the alleged recruitment of active and retired military personnel by foreign-based firms and the alleged existence of Chinese sleeper cells in the Philippines,” ayon pa rin sa inihaing resolusyon. Meliza Maluntag
