—Richard Cobden
By Alex P. Vidal
NO sighting means there are no warm bodies of “illegal Chinese immigrants” doing illegal activities in Iloilo City contrary to the alleged report made by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Iloilo.
While the NBI Iloilo has “confirmed” their presence allegedly in some Iloilo City subdivisions, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 has disputed it.
When two parties question the veracity of a report, that means either both of them are wrong; or, one of them isn’t telling the truth.
Without the presence of illegal Chinese immigrants, nobody can arrest anyone.
Without a crime or illegal activity, there can be no suspect.
Without a suspect, there can be no case.
So, when and where did the “sighting” occur? Who is telling the truth between the NBI Iloilo and the PRO6?
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If the NBI and the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 will continue to contradict each other and the case won’t have a concrete closure, truth will be the casualty. Ilonggos will think they are disputing the presence of “ghost illegal Chinese immigrants” in Iloilo City.
Police or the NBI can’t just apprehend any Chinese national seen in Iloilo City subdivisions on mere suspicion they are doing an illegal activity unless they are caught in the act.
It will be grossly unfair and an affront against the Filipino-Chinese community in Iloilo if authorities will accuse any “Chinese-looking” individual or Tsinoy of being illegal immigrant or someone engaging in illegal activity without a shred of evidence.
The NBI Iloilo was able to reportedly brief Iloilo City lone district Rep. Julienne “Jamjam” Baronda about the “increasing number of Chinese nationals doing illegal activities” in some Iloilo subdivisions.
Based on this information, Baronda wrote the Department of Justice (DoJ) and asked it to look into the matter.
Everything fell apart when PRO6 director, Brigadier General Jack Wanky, claimed there was no truth to the report based on their own investigation as substantiated by the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), which monitored the presence of Chinese nationals potentially involved in illegal activities, particularly illegal gambling and offshore gaming.
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US-PHILIPPINE RELATIONS. The U.S.-Philippine relations are based on strong historical and cultural linkages and shared democratic values. The United States established diplomatic relations with the Philippines in 1946, according to the fact sheet released by the U.S. Department of State obtained by this writer.
More than four million Filipino Americans live in the United States, and almost 700,000 U.S. citizens reside in the Philippines, including many U.S. military veterans.
Manila is home to the only Veterans Administration regional office outside the United States, and the Manila American Cemetery, run by the American Battle Monuments Commission, is the largest American military cemetery outside the United States. In 2023, over 900,000 U.S. citizens visited the Philippines.
The 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty provides a strong foundation for our robust security partnership. Vibrant people-to-people ties, and strong economic partnerships provide meaningful ways to engage on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues.
The U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) is the annual forum for forward planning across the spectrum of our relationship.
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The most recent BSD took place in April 2024 when senior Philippine and U.S. foreign affairs and defense officials convened in Washington, D.C.
President Biden hosted President Marcos for a bilateral meeting in April 2024, and the presidents also joined Japanese Prime Minister Kishida for the first-ever Trilateral Leaders’ Summit.
Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin hosted their Philippine counterparts for a “2+2” ministerial in April 2024; the next “2+2” will be held for the first time in Manila, in July 2024.
The United States and the Philippines expect to hold an inaugural Democracy Dialogue later in 2024.
People-to-people exchange programs between the United States and the Philippines include the longest continuously running Fulbright program in the world, the International Visitor Leadership Program, and the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative.
The Philippines is home to more than 9,000 Filipino alumni of U.S. exchange programs; 1,000 U.S. citizens have participated in U.S. exchange programs in the Philippines. (To be continued)
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)
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