By Junex Doronio

MANILA —  Following the arrest by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) of nine Chinese nationals in Pasay City who disembarked from their dredging vessel, House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo is now urging Congress to speed up the hearing on reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

It can be recalled that Tulfo filed a resolution last year to investigate the Manila Bay reclamation due to national security threats after learning that all workers on the Manila Bay reclamation projects were Chinese nationals who disembarked from their ships and roamed around Metro Manila. 

“Ito ‘yung sinasabi ko noon na bumababa ng barko nila ang mga manggagawa na Chinese at umiikot dito sa Metro Manila,” Tulfo said.

He added; “Ang tanong ngayon, ano ang pakay nila para gumala sila sa Maynila gayong wala silang mga visa?” 

Tulfo noted that the US Embassy was the first to express concern about the Manila Bay reclamation after they learned that a Chinese company involved in the reclamation project.

He further stated that the China-owned China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC) is in charge of the dredging and reclamation operations.

Tulfo pointed out that it is the same company responsible for building air and naval bases in territories claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

According to BI Intelligence Division (ID) chief Fortunato ‘Jun’ Manahan, Jr., they conducted surveillance and intelligence gathering after receiving reports that Chinese nationals were disembarking and boarding vessels along Manila Bay. 

The arrested individuals, aged between 33 and 54, were identified as Li Weilin, Liu Peng, Wang Yong, Huang Haibing, Gong Yuan Ju, Zhang Tao, Dai Guang Yuan, Li Jiang Yu, and Kang Tian De, Manahan said. 

In August 2023, Tulfo along with his colleagues from the ACT-CIS partylist, Reps. Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, filed House Resolution No. 1171, requesting the House committees on national defense and security, ecology, to review the reclamation projects surrounding Manila Bay. 

“Kailangan na talaga nating tutukan itong seguridad ng ating bansa dahil nagkalat na ang mga ‘yan (Chinese) sa ating bansa”, Tulfo stressed.

(el Amigo/mnm)