Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 7) – Lawmakers have expressed alarm over reports of Filipino cadets being sent to a Chinese military academy, especially when China’s ships are seen “bullying” the country’s vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
Sen. Francis Tolentino raised the matter in a Senate hearing on Monday, saying he noticed from nomination papers during Commission on Appointments hearings that there are a number of military officers who graduated from “Beijing military academy.” He said he was unsure of the correct school name.
“We have stopped accepting cadets from the United States [to the Philippine Military Academy] since 2008. Now we’re sending our cadets, PMA graduates or cadets, to the ‘Beijing military academy,'” Tolentino said.
“Are we requiring them or encouraging our cadets to study at the ‘Beijing military academy?’ I think this is quite alarming and this is the first time I heard the news from Sen. Tolentino,” said Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
Defense Senior Undersecretary Irineo Espino, the highest defense official present, answered he “has heard about it” but he has yet to “find out the reason why they are sending cadets to China.”
Minutes after, he was handed a note and told Senators: “Only CGSC (Command and General Staff Course) and MNSA (Master in National Security Administration) counterparts were availed of by officers of the armed forces. I have to check if there are cadets sent to ‘China academy.’ Wala pa pong confirmation [There is no confirmation yet].”
Espino said these programs are for lieutenant colonels or other senior officers.
“This is very alarming…Alam niyo na pala bakit di niyo pa pinatitigil? Sampal ito sa atin, binu-bully tayo ng China,” Sen. Raffy Tulfo commented.
[Translation: You already know it but why was it not stopped? This is a slap to our face because we are being bullied by China.]
Tulfo also suggested that any dealings with China in terms of “military exchange” be stopped amid tensions and “bullying” of the East Asian giant in the West Philippine Sea.
“Can we put a stop to it, break right away? Marami pa namang ibang academy pwedeng padalhan bakit sa Beijing pa na kung saan they are [There are many academies where we can send out cadets why is it Beijing which is] perceived as enemy just because they’ve been bullying us for a long, long time,” he added.
The hearing comes a day after it was reported that the China Coast Guard blocked and fired water cannons at PCG vessels during a resupply mission to military personnel in Ayungin Shoal.
The Philippine government summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing on Monday morning.
