Is influx of Chinese students in the Philippines a security threat? Manila starts probe on ‘sleeper cell’ concerns

“Our intelligence units have been assigned to take a look at the situation there. Is this a case of a national security threat, or is this just a case of people wanting to study in the Philippines?” Malaya said on Saturday.

Government officials had expressed concern about the surge of Chinese nationals enrolled in private universities in Tuguegarao, with congressman Robert Ace Barbers describing it as a “creeping invasion”.

On Sunday, Barbers questioned the motives of the Chinese students enrolling in Cagayan, saying they could be spies or members of sleeper cells sent to gather intelligence.

“Why are they all there in Cagayan close to the EDCA site? Why are there so many enrolling there? Isn’t it that if you want to pursue a master’s degree, you would go to a big university overseas?” Barbers said. “Is there really that much interest to get a master’s degree from the Philippines?”

The lawmaker also cited a raid last week when police captured a 24-year-old Chinese national, Haiqiang Su, and two others. High-powered firearms, including a tactical helmet with “CHINA” markings and a Chinese flag, were recovered from the suspects inside a residential subdivision in Taguig City, Metro Manila.

“There’s a possibility that some of them are spies or sleeper cells,” Barbers said.

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US to gain expanded access to Philippine military bases in bid to counter China

Last month, representatives Joseph Lara of Cagayan’s third district and Faustino Dy V of Isabela’s sixth district filed a resolution dated March 20 about “an alarming increase” in the number of Chinese citizens, saying they posed a risk to the Philippines’ national security and economy.

But Maila Ting Que, the mayor of Tuguegarao, slammed the accusation, saying the scrutiny on