House orders probe into 'Chinese pilots' flying chartered flights in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the House of Representatives quad committee have directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to investigate reports that “Chinese pilots” flew private chartered flights in Philippine airspace this year.

On behalf of the three other committee chairmen, presiding officer Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers also directed not just the CAAP, but also the Bureau of Immigration and the Bureau of Quarantine to check their records and investigate the “questionable flights.”

The special committee specifically mentioned the months of June to August this year as among the dates showing Chinese pilots manning private chartered planes, even as lawmakers continue investigating anomalies surrounding existence of illegal POGOs.

Meanwhile, the quad comm served notice that it would still hold hearings even after Congress goes on a break on Sept. 27, saying this would allow lawmakers to “get to the bottom of the interconnected issues” of POGOs, illegal drugs, money-laundering and extrajudicial killings in the past administration.

“We will continue holding hearings even during our break because we have seen the involvement of one syndicate, and we have seen as well the substantial involvements of several police generals in this case,” Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante said.

“Unless otherwise we crush this syndicate that we have seen inside the Philippine National Police of police generals involved in drugs, among other things, the drug problem in the Philippines will remain unabated,” Abante pointed out.

The quad comm has so far carried out six marathon hearings, and the trail uncovered by Abante and his fellow House members has been long and wide

Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante, who chairs the House committee on human rights, said it would take more time for them to expose everything that needs to be exposed.

“I think the hearings will be extended a little more, but we would like to finish it ASAP because the filing of COCs (certificates of candidacy) is drawing near,” he said. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Delon Porcalla