A MINDANAO lawmaker has called on Malacañang to investigate the alleged leasing of government properties to at least 85 Chinese-owned firms by certain local government units (LGUs) in Bataan, Zambales, and Pangasinan—a move that has reportedly displaced local fisherfolk and raised national security concerns.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the House Dangerous Drugs panel and lead of the Lower House’s Quad Committee, revealed that fishermen from these areas have provided credible reports of suspicious activities by the Chinese-owned firms.
His appeal follows Malacañang’s recent order to probe allegations that arrested Chinese spies—Wang Ingyi, Wu Jaren, Cai Shaohuang, and Chen Haitao—had donated Chinese-made motorcycles and financial assistance to Philippine law enforcement and local officials.
Barbers warned that these Chinese entities appear to be replicating the banned POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) model, infiltrating local communities by bribing officials and gaining access to strategic locations.
LGU Accountability and Chinese Ship Presence
The congressman urged Malacañang to investigate not only the spy-linked donations but also the legal grounds and protocols LGUs used in granting land leases to Chinese firms in these coastal towns.
“According to one of my fishermen-sources, local fishers are being driven away from leased shorelines, depriving them of their livelihood,” Barbers said.
He also raised concerns about the two Chinese-owned ships that have been stationed near two coastal barangays in Palauig, Zambales for almost three months, conducting mysterious activities without oversight.
“These ships could be involved in dredging, illegal mining, smuggling, or even drug trafficking. Yet, authorities—including the Coast Guard, Immigration, PNP, AFP, and BFAR—seem either asleep on the job or complicit,” he lamented.
National Security Risks
Barbers warned that these 85 Chinese firms could be harboring Chinese military personnel or spies, similar to reports from Palawan, Cagayan, Catanduanes, and other parts of the country.
“It is infuriating to think that some of our businesspeople, law enforcers, and politicians may have been bought off by foreigners, betraying their duty and Filipino identity for money,” he said.
Barbers called for swift government action to halt these foreign-controlled operations and hold LGUs and national agencies accountable for granting leases and permits without transparency.
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