Chinese granted Pinoy citizenship has no derogatory records – senator

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SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian yesterday said the Chinese who was recently granted Filipino citizenship by the Senate did not have any derogatory records with intelligence-gathering agencies.

In a video conference, Gatchalian said his staff did a thorough background check on Li Duan Wang and asked the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), the National Security Council (NSC), and even the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) if he has derogatory records, but found he has none.

“May mga certification naman itong tatlong ahensiya na wala silang nakikitang hindi maganda. At walang negative reports from these three agencies. Kaya based on those reports ng committee, na-aprubahan yung citizenship niya (The three agencies have certified that they do not have negative reports on him. Based on those reports presented to us by the committee, his citizenship was approved),” he said.

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Gatchalian made the explanation after Sen. Risa Hontiveros voted against the grant of Filipino citizenship to Li, whom she alleged has links with the operation of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs.

The Senate last Monday afternoon passed on third and final reading Committee Report No. 216 granting Filipino citizenship to Li. Nineteen senators voted yes to approve the committee report, Hontiveros voted no, and no senator abstained.

In rejecting the committee report, Hontiveros cited reports that Li allegedly has ties with Duanren Wu, who is said to be the “boss” of a POGO hub raided in Porac, Pampanga.

She also said Li is supposedly a junket operator and has a business which purportedly operates in the same building where self-confessed Chinese spy She Zhijiang previously had an office.

She likewise said Li is connected to the Philippine Jinjiang Yuxi Association, which is linked to the United Front of the Communist Party of China.

She added that Li, who uses the Filipino name Mark Ong, had misrepresented himself as a Filipino in documents submitted for his businesses to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

But Gatchalian said Li’s supposed connections to the POGO industry was not established by intelligence-gathering agencies.

He said after Hontiveros’ disclosures about Li, his staff “went beyond the minimum requirements” and coordinated with the NICA, NSC and Interpol.

“Base dito sa mga dokumento ni (Li Duan) Wang, matagal na siya dito, nag-aral ang mga anak niya dito sa local schools at matagal na siyang nagne-negosyo dito Based on Li Duan Wang’s documents, his children studied in local schools, and he has been doing business here for a long time),” he said.

“Wala namang derogatory reports tungkol sa kanya. Walang issue of moral turpitude rin tungkol sa kanya, so, in-endorse rin ng House, in-endorse rin ng Senate (There are no derogatory reports about him. There are no issues of moral turpitude against him. So, the House and the Senate endorsed his naturalization),” he added.

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