Lawmaker bucks e-visa plan for Chinese tourists

MANILA, Philippines — Saying it endangers national security, Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged President Marcos yesterday to stop the plan of the Philippine embassy in Beijing to issue electronic visas for Chinese tourists.

“I am strongly opposed to this plan of our ambassador, Jaime FlorCruz. The President should tell Mr. FlorCruz to scrap it,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “The presence of Chinese nationals in our country endangers our communities and our national security. Many of them are spies and criminals engaged in kidnapping-for-ransom, illegal gambling and other illicit activities.”

Rodriguez said Chinese spies were caught red-handed surveilling critical establishments and agencies in the country, including military camps and the Commission on Elections.

According to Rodriguez, the country needs a “stringent process that will require personal appearance and thorough vetting of visa applicants and their records and papers to prevent the entry of Chinese spies and criminals in our country.”

“The President is fighting tooth and nail for national sovereignty, denouncing in the strongest terms every act of aggression by China. Mr. FlorCruz’s plan undermines such stance and can be seen as weakness on the part of the President and our country,” Rodriguez said.

He urged the ambassador to “promote and speak more forcefully for our national interest instead of devising plans for convenience for the Chinese.”

“He is often silent on instances of Chinese bullying of our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” Rodriguez said.