MANILA – Filipinos must not lump the Filipino-Chinese community in their "anger" amid the issues on suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and the ongoing maritime row with China, a political science professor said Friday.
In the PTV program “Punto de Vista,” Antonio Contreras said he is alarmed by the reaction of some Filipinos over the dispute in the West Philippine Sea that drags even those who are Filipino-Chinese.
“Sa nangyayari ngayon na gulo sa West Philippine Sea, nakababahala ang reaksyon ng ilan sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino na hindi alam kung papaano i-separate ang China bilang isang bansa sa mga kapatid nating mga Chinoy o mga Chinese-Filipinos (With what is happening in the West Philippine Sea, it is alarming to see the reaction of some Filipinos who don’t know how to differentiate China as a country to our fellow Filipinos of Chinese descent),” he said.
He said the hostile reaction is also being fueled by Guo, accused of being an enabler of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) hubs.
She was earlier confirmed by the National Bureau of Investigation to have matching fingerprints with a certain Chinese national Guo Hua Ping.
“Iyong galit natin sa gobyerno ng Tsina, iyong galit natin sa kanilang Coast Guard, iyong galit natin sa ginagawa nila sa West Philippine Sea, doon natin ibunton. Pero hindi po sa kapatid nating mga (Our anger towards the government of China, our anger towards their Coast Guard and what they are doing in the West Philippine Sea, it should stay there. Let us not direct it towards) Chinese-Filipinos,” Contreras said.
He reminded the public that there are a number of Filipinos of Chinese descent in the Philippines who have made huge contributions to the economy.
“Ang kanilang mga ninuno ay binigyan na ng Filipino citizenship, at ang puso nila ay Pilipinong-Pilipino na. Huwag po tayong magkakamali na i-lump natin sila sa (Their ancestors were given Filipino citizenship, and their heart is Filipino. Let’s not make a mistake of lumping them with) China,” he said.
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