Hontiveros to China's foreign minister: Help arrest and deport Chinese syndicates in PH

"Dapat ma-aresto at ma-deport na ang mga Chinese na kriminal sa ating bansa. Our country is not a crime scene for Chinese."

This statement from Senator Risa Hontiveros as she called on China's foreign minister Wang Yi to assist Philippine law enforcement agencies in arresting and deporting Chinese syndicates, particularly those involved in the smuggling of illegal vaccines and those with ties to the local Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) industry.

"China's foreign minister should cooperate with our government to completely crack down on crime. Kung gaano yung pagka-agresibo nila sa pag-aangkin sa West Philippine Sea, sana agresibo din sila sa pag-aresto ng kanilang mga kriminal dito," the senator said.

Hontiveros shared that this week alone, the Philippine National Police arrested seven Chinese and one Filipino who were involved in the kidnapping, raping, and killing of Chinese POGO workers in San Pedro, Laguna.

"Isa lang yan sa napakaraming krimeng dulot ng POGO industry. Ilegal nga yang POGO sa China, so bakit dito sa atin tuloy-tuloy pa rin? Perhaps the foreign minister can help our Department of Foreign Affairs in resolving issues affecting our local POGO industry," she said.

"We need to stop these syndicates before they become more comfortable with the local terrain and start victimizing more Filipinos," added Hontiveros, who led the Senate investigation on POGO-related prostitution in the Philippines.

In December 2020, Hontiveros challenged the Bureau of Immigration to look for and arrest more illegal Chinese workers, after over 300 Chinese employees were arrested for carrying out illegal online gambling activities in Tarlac.

Last week, the senator also urged Beijing to lead its own inquiry into the unauthorized entry of COVID-19 vaccines into the country. "Sa gitna ng pandemya, tuloy pa rin ang ligaya ng mga Chinese criminals, mula kidnapping hanggang sa pagpapasok ng ilegal na bakuna. Walang pakundangan. Dapat matigil na ang paghahasik nila ng lagim dito," Hontiveros concluded.