Malacañang assured Beijing yesterday that the Philippines has not singled out Chinese nationals for harassment, as suggested by a Chinese Embassy advisory warning its citizens about traveling to the Philippines.
The Embassy’s travel advisory came amid a Philippine government crackdown on online gambling and scamming activities that are believed to be operated mainly by Chinese crime syndicates.
“We can assure China that we are not targeting any specific nationality for harassment. Everyone is welcome here, except those involved in criminal activities. We are simply implementing the law,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
To recall, the Marcos administration’s total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) has caused some of them to operate clandestinely, triggering a law enforcement crackdown that has led to the arrest of hundreds of Chinese nationals.
“It is likely that this issue [travel advisory] stems from our enforcement against POGOs, which we have been working to remove from the country. Many of those involved are Chinese nationals,” Castro added.
Government authorities have been actively working to phase out POGO operations due to various concerns, including illegal activities.
The advisory cited increasing political gatherings and alleged frequent incidents of harassment and inspections of Chinese nationals and businesses by the country’s law enforcement agencies.
Castro downplayed concerns over the advisory, which urged Chinese citizens to conduct thorough risk assessments before traveling to the Philippines.
She emphasized that issuing travel advisories is a routine consular function.
Castro maintained that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is open to discussions with China to address its concerns in view of the travel advisory’s potential impact on the tourism sector.
