MANILA – Members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China have allegedly used the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in the country for intelligence gathering.
Sen. Richard Gordon made the inference after information that the suspects in the shooting incident in Makati City last week carried PLA identification cards.
“Naniniwala ako na infiltrated ‘yan (POGO) ng PLA dahil ang laki-laki niyan. Ilagay mo na lang 200,000 ‘yan na nagtatrabaho dito, nakatigil dito,” Gordon said in an interview with DZBB on Monday.
“The PLA are the biggest intelligence agency, mas malaki pa sa Amerika,” added the senator. “Nakakabahala itong nangyayari. Nagkakaroon sila ng baril, ng firing range. Nagkakapatayan sila (Chinese).”
Gordon also pointed out that the Chinese spies were probably out to determine invasion areas and to ascertain the location of Philippine military bases, among others.
The Philippines has a territorial dispute with China involving parts of the vast South China Sea where some islands were guarded by Chinese ships.
Meanwhile, Makati City police on Monday said that the PLA IDs recovered from the Chinese shooters were not theirs.
“Hindi rin member ng People’s Liberation Army or Chinese military ang mga suspects,” Makati City Police chief Police Colonel Rogelio Simon said.
“Nakuhanan lang sila ng mga personal belongings na may mga ID ng sinasabing identification cards ng PLA o Chinese army pero hindi sila ang mga sinasabing nasa ID. Iba ang mga pangalan at iba rin ang mga mukha,” he added./PN
