Who recruited, facilitated admission of 36 Chinese nationals into PCG auxiliary corps

SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday pressed for an investigation to identify and hold accountable the so-called “Makabagong Makapili” officials responsible in recruiting and facilitating the entry of at least 36 Chinese nationals as members of the Philippine Coast Guard’s Auxiliary Corps.

“Nuong panahon ng Hapon sa Pilipinas, meron tayong mga Makapili. Ngayon, meron na rin umano tayong mga Makabagong Makapili na nagsisilbi sa interes ng China sa ating bansa. Panahon na para imbestigahan at kilalanin ang umano’y mga walang kunsensya at taksil sa bayan na mga ito,” Barbers said.

The Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino (Patriotic Association of Filipinos), better known as the Makapili, was a group of Filipino traitors formed during World War II to collaborate and provide aid to the invading Imperial Japanese Army forces in the Philippines.

Barbers’ call was prompted by the admission of Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan during a House hearing held Wednesday that previous PCG officers recruited and admitted more than 36 Chinese nationals into the PCG auxiliary corps.

The solon from Mindanao, in a recent interview on same issue with news anchor Karmina Constantino from the ANC Digital news channel, said he and Carmina are both deeply puzzled and were in agreement that it does not make sense why the PCG would recruit and admit Chinese nationals into their auxiliary corps when the Philippines is engaged in a heated territorial dispute with China at the WPS for years.

“The Chinese nationals are with the PCGA for more or less three years. Did the PCG conduct due diligence on these nationals. Obviously, there’s none. As Admiral Gavan has admitted, some 36 were axed because they failed to secure national security clearance. We also do not know if those Chinese nationals are officials from the China People’s Liberation Army, businessmen, or tourists out to justify their longer stay here in our country,” Barbers said.

It could not be ascertained what ranks were given by the PCG to their 36 Chinese auxiliary corps members, but they could be Admiral (4 star general); Vice-Admiral (3-star general); Rear Admiral (two-star general); Commodore (one-star general); Captain (Full Col.); Commander (Lt. Col.); Lt. Commander (Major); Lt. Commander (Captain); and Lt. Senior Grade (Lt.). It could not also be determined what the Chinese nationals put up in exchange for their admission at the PCGA.

The solon from Mindanao said the presence, tasking and other activities of the 36 Chinese PCG auxiliary corps members from the day they were recruited and admitted until they were axed should also be thoroughly investigated as the acts committed may have adversely affected the country’s national security.

Barbers said he even obtained raw reports in the past that the Chinese PCG auxiliary members are being tagged along by some senior PCG officials whenever they conduct routine and official patrol missions at the West Philippine Sea.

“Sa mahigit na tatlong (3) taon na sila ay nakapaloob sa PCG, malamang ay may mga kasama itong espiyang Chinese military at inalam na nila lahat ang mga istratehiya, missions and objectives, communications gadgets, at duties and functions ng lahat ng opisyal ng PCG, at iba pa. Kung iisipin, grabe ang nagawang kawalanghiyaan sa PCG at dapat panagutin sa batas kung bakit nila pinayagan ito,” he said.

PCG (Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas) is recognized as the “third armed uniformed service” attached to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) tasked primarily with enforcing laws within Philippine waters, conducting maritime security operations, safeguarding life and property at sea, and protecting marine environment and resources, similar to coast guard units around the world. The PCGA auxiliary corps is a voluntary uniformed organization with military structure attached to the PCG.

During the House hearing on Wednesday, Gavan admitted that the 36 Chinese PCG recruits probably “did not went through the process in coordination with relevant intelligence and national security agencies of the government” as all of them failed to get their “national security clearance” which he required them to submit when he assumed his post in October 2023.

When pressed by Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez to provide more details about the Chinese nationals recruited and admitted PCGA members, Gavan sought an executive session “to discuss more thoroughly the issue at hand in the next hearing due to the sensitivity of the matter.”