In Philippines, Chinese national’s arrest over fake papers deepens concern over Pogo links

Ramon Beleno III, head of the political science and history department at Ateneo De Davao University in Davao City, told This Week in Asia the latest arrest underscored suspicions about China’s sponsored programmes for nationals to penetrate local communities.

Beleno was referring to the revelation last week of military chief Romeo Brawner Jr that China was infiltrating various sectors in the Philippines, including the media and local governments.

“Like what the Armed Forces of the Philippines is saying, they are trying to control all aspects of government, business and politics. Possibly, he was sent as an agent and they will activate him once needed. That’s if we are going to look at extreme theory,” Beleno warned.

“If we look into other possible theories, he tried to apply for a Philippine passport and wanted to go to the US for a better life as using a Philippine passport will have a lesser immigration suspicion,” he added, blaming lax control by authorities.

“If there’s a businessman applicant, they will no longer scrutinise the documents. We will have a serious problem with that in the future.”

Many foreigners were studying medical courses in the country, and not only in Davao City, but Beleno noted the Limosnero case was different as he was assuming a Filipino identity.

“This is a major concern. I think the government should look into this. Not only for the Chinese, but all foreign nationals. There’s something wrong with our government system.”

One of the prominent figures in the Philippines who was found to have falsified her birth certificate was suspended mayor Alice Guo, who is currently under investigation over her alleged links to an illegal online gaming firm in Bamban town in Tarlac province.

The investigation into Guo began after police raided a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) compound in Bamban. Guo has repeatedly denied being a Chinese citizen, citing she is a Filipino born of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother.

In May, the Department of Foreign Affairs imposed new stricter visa controls for Chinese nationals following discovery of fraudulent immigration applications that had led to illegal entry and overstaying of foreigners.

The decision comes with both countries locked in an escalating war of words over territorial disputes in the South China Sea and national security fears in Cagayan province in the northern tip of Luzon island facing Taiwan – where some 4600 Chinese nationals are enrolled in private universities.

Northern Luzon houses three new sites under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement, a pact with the United States that allows it to access military bases in the Philippines.

The Pogo sector – which takes advantage of the Philippines’ liberal gaming laws to target patrons in China, where gambling is illegal – has been linked to a string of crimes, including trafficking, kidnapping and prostitution.

The sector emerged in the Philippines in 2016 and grew exponentially, as operators capitalised on the country’s liberal gaming laws to target customers in China, where gambling is banned. At their peak, Pogos hired more than 300,000 Chinese workers.

Beijing has repeatedly warned Chinese nationals not to work in Pogos in the Philippines, which have fuelled a spate of crimes including cryptocurrency scams, kidnapping and murder.

During Wednesday’s senate hearing, Alejandro Tengco, head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), said as per its new policy, Pogo hubs would not be allowed across the country.

Tengco disclosed the new measure when Senator Sherwin Gatchalian sought an assurance that crimes from Pogos would not happen again.

“We’re coming out with certain guidelines. We’re already banning hubs. In the meantime, there is no order for closure, this early I can inform everybody that we will not allow any hub existing or going to be applied for. We will not approve it any more.”

Tengco said Pagcor would do its best to strictly monitor the remaining 43 licensed Pogo firms to prevent them from being used for human trafficking and other criminal activities such as torture.

According to police data, more than 4,000 Pogo-linked crimes, including kidnapping and human trafficking, were reported from January 2017 to the first half of last year.

Several lawmakers have pushed for a ban on the industry, which generates 20 billion pesos (US$342 million) in yearly revenues.