PNP CHIEF Gen. Nicolas Torre III yesterday disputed a narrative of China’s Ministry of Education about the supposed unstable security situation in the Philippines, saying peace and order in the country have improved in the past months.
Torre said it has “no basis.”
The Ministry of Education, in a July 18 travel advisory, warned Chinese students travelling to Philippines about a surge in crimes targeting Chinese nationals, and cited incidents of Chinese nationals and establishments being harassed by local law enforcers.
Torre said, “There are a lot propaganda coming out, there are many statements coming out designed to shape a narrative.
“Definitely, it has no basis,” he added.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said the advisory “mischaracterizes the situation,” and has conveyed through diplomatic channels its concerns regarding “inaccuracies” in the advisory.
Torre said there has been no major crime reported recently across the country.
“In the past few months, I am very sure you will agree with that, that there is no (major crime) that occurred … Essentially, the PNP can actually say that we are on top of the situation,” he said.
Torre acknowledged cases of kidnapping involving Chinese nationals in recent months, including that of Chinese businessman Anson Que and his Filipino driver, Armanie Pabillo, who were later killed by their captors.
“What is their nationality? Who is their victim?” Torre said.
The kidnapping, which took place last March, was led by three Chinese nationals, two of them already in police custody. Two Filipinos were also implicated in the kidnapping and are also under police custody.
“We respect the opinion of Chinese officials but one thing is clear: what we are seeing here in our country is that they (Chinese nationals) are fighting among themselves. The victims are Chinese, the perpetrators are Chinese,” he said.
“We are being used as a battleground, which we cannot allow that to continue,” he added.
Torre also lashed out at the DDS, or “Diehard Duterte Supporters,” for bringing up on social media the killing of a Chinese national whose body was found in Kawit, Cavite.
He said the DDS made it appear the incident occurred only recently to malign the government.
He said the incident occurred in September 2022, and the fatality is a Chinese fugitive covered by an Interpol Red Notice.
Torre said DDS members are running out of issues to throw at government, thus they are resorting to incidents that occurred years ago.
“It’s so easy to debunk their narrative,” said Torre.
REGIONAL SECURITY
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the need for the Philippines and the United States to enhance deterrence in the South China Sea and in the West Philippine Sea.
Año and Rubio, acting US National Security Advisor and at the same time the Secretary of State, discussed “recent developments” in the Philippines-US alliance during a July 14 meeting in Washington.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Philippines’ National Security Council said Año and Rubio “exchanged views on the regional security situation, particularly in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea.”
It said the two officials also discussed “future activities to further strengthen the alliance between the two nations in order to establish credible deterrence in the region.”
“They underscored the need to enhance deterrence in the SCS and WPS and the importance of maintaining peace and security in the region for the economic security of both the Philippines and the United States,” the NSC said.
The NSC said Año and Rubio also underscored the importance of collaborating with allies and other like-minded partners “to ensure a rules-based international order and a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
The security officials expressed optimism for future activities concerning defense, security, and industrial cooperation.
“Secretary Rubio assured Secretary Año of the US’s ironclad commitment to the Philippines under the Trump administration,” the NSC said.
It said Año expressed gratitude to Rubio “for the renewed and continued assurances of the US’s ironclad commitment and the strength of the PH-US alliance.”
China has become aggressive in its claims in the South China and in the West Philippine Sea in the past years and has harassed Philippine government vessels and aircraft and even Filipino fishing boats.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration, in a 2016 ruling, invalidated China’s excessive claim in the South China Sea and affirmed the Philippines’ rights to its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
