SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday alleged Yang Jian Xin, also known as Tony Yang and Antonio Maestrado Lim, is the “true architect” of the businesses of the Yang brothers, which supposedly includes illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs which have been ordered banned by President Marcos Jr. by the end of the year.

Tony Yang is the elder brother of Michael Yang, whose Chinese name is Yang Hongming, the economic adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Another brother was identified as Hongjiang Yang.

Tony Yang was arrested in a joint operation by the Bureau of Immigration and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). He was carrying P1.4 million when he was apprehended for violation of the immigration law through misrepresentation. He remains under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration.

Hontiveros said that while Michael Yang has been reported to be involved in several illegal transactions involving the government, Tony Yang has been running the family’s operations in the country.

“Matagal na natin nababalitaan si Michael Yang. Ang katotohanan ay bagamat mas kilala si Michael, si Tony ang sinasabing totoong architect ng operations ng mga Yang (We have long heard of [the alleged illegal activities] of Michael Yang. But the truth is, while Michael is more famous, Tony is the true architect of the Yangs’ operations), Hontiveros said.

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz backed Hontiveros’ statement, saying that Tony Yang is the “silent but thinking Yang” who runs the family businesses, including POGOs.

Cruz said the Yang’s big businesses in Cagayan de Oro City are being run by Tony.

During yesterday’s 14th hearing of the Committee on Women, Hontiveros detailed Tony Yang’s links to the illegal operation of POGOs.

She said records show that Tony Yang is listed as the president of OroOne Inc., a service provider of Xionwei Corporation, which has been linked to the Pharmally mess involving billions of pesos of funds of the Department of Health that was used to buy medical supplies at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A POGO associated with Tony Yang, OroOne Corporation, lists him as president. Itong OroOne ay service provider ng Xionwei, na alam natin na binaliktad na pangalan ni Lin Weixion alias Allan Lim ng Pharmally. Ang email naman ng Xionwei (ay) ginagamit ng isang pang POGO, Brickhartz, na ang papel ay nakita sa Bamban. Mukhang iisang network, o happy Pharmally lang talaga ito (OroOne Corporation, a POGO associated with Tony Yang, lists him as president. OroOne is the service provider of Xionwei, which was derived from the name of Lin Weixion alias Allan Lim of Pharmally. The email of Xionwei is used by another POGO hub, the Brickhartz [Technology], whose documents were recovered in the Bamban POGO facility. It looks like they are one big happy ‘Pharmally’),” Hontiveros said.

Speaking through an interpreter, Tony Yang said his name was listed as president of OroOne Corporation since its owners at the time of its incorporation supposedly needed someone with a Filipino name to represent the company.

He said he does not really know Lin Weixion but admitted having met him a couple of times during social events involving the Chinese community.

OroOne has a certificate of accreditation from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) as a customer relations service provider to Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd. Inc., which has a POGO license from the Pagcor.

Hontiveros said the Yangs’ connection to illegal POGOs is further bolstered by the fact that Hongjiang Yang, the youngest among the Yang brothers, has a joint bank account with Yuzheng Can, who is an associate of dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo, or Guo Hua Ping, in one of her businesses.

Cruz said the Yang brothers are “even trying to establish a ‘kingdom’ in Cagayan de Oro City na ang nakikita naming ay hindi ka puwedeng magpasok ng business mo kung hindi ka dadaan sa kanya (Tony). May mga indications din na ang Sanjia Steel, and other documents point to POGO operations.”

Cruz was referring to the Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation located in Cagayan de Oro City which is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the name of Antonio Maestrado Lim or Tony Yang.

Sanjia is only one of the businesses under the name of Antonio Maestrado Lim, according to the PAOCC.  It identified the other firms as Ye Sen Fa Development Corp., Filipinas 168 Shopping Mall, Yangize Trade Corp., Misamis Oriental Sand and Gravel Corp., and Golden Citi Development Corp.

On the other hand, it said businesses associated to Tony Yang are Amandas Shopping Center, Yhu Enterprises, Cagayan dela Plaza, Hongjek Merchaniser, Yangze Skytone Condotel, Hongjek Merchandiser-Yang Ze, Top Pal Enfireprises, Hongiek Merchandiser, and Yangze Rice Mill.

Tony Yang acknowledged he owned the businesses when asked by senators who his “boss” was. ‘I don’t have a boss. I don’t report to anyone because these are my own businesses, so I don’t report to anyone… No one from OroOne is reporting to me. It was only that time that they needed help from me,” he said.

He said has over 100 employees, of which only a handful are Filipinos.

When Hontiveros asked why Sanjia Steel employed thousands of Chinese citizens when the services it offered can be done by Filipinos, Tony said Chinese citizens are only employed when their skills are needed to operate the machines. He said they prefer hiring locals due to much affordable wages.

CHINESE CITIZEN

Tony Yang admitted he is a Chinese citizen born in Jianjiang District, Fookien province who entered the country sometime in 1998. He denied that he has a Philippine passport.

Hontiveros said Tony Yang has a birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority which was acquired through late registration in 2004.

This was confirmed by Tony Yang, who said that his grandfather, who he said passed away some 10 years ago, was the one who processed his Philippine birth certificate when he was only “2 or 3 years old,” which contradicted his earlier statement that entered the country only in 2004.

“During that time, it was my grandfather who helped process the birth certificate for my convenience in putting up a business,” he said.

Hontiveros also showed a copy of Yang’s application for a driver’s license at the Land Transportation Office and an application for a Taxpayer’s Identification Number that listed him as Antonio Maestrado Lim.

Tony Yang’s alien certificate of registration (ACR) lists him as Yang Jianxin, who was born on September 14, 1970.

Hontiveros said Tony Yang has been duping the Philippine government by using a Filipino name despite being a Chinese, to which the latter said: “I use Antonio Lim in government documents and no other name. The initial intention is for me to start a business, that’s why I used an English name for application purposes.”

Hontiveros also questioned his photos with ranking police officials in Region 10, including then PNP chief Benjamin Acorda who at the time was the Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office chief; and with the former president Duterte.

Tony Yang said he knew police officials in region 10 since his businesses are located in the region.

As for Duterte, he said: “I am not very close to former president Duterte and does not have contact with him… I have known former president Duterte when he went to Cagayan de Oro City for a business meeting. Then we had a photo taken with him.”

Tony Yang told senators he is also not aware that he is wanted in China for fraud.

Yang has allegedly falsified information on the SEC certification of Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp. He is also facing complaints of violation of the Social Security Act, and RA 11223, or the Universal Healthcare Act, for non-remittance of his employees’ contributions.

The PAOCC said it is coordinating with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency after it received information that Yang is also into illegal drug activities.

POGO COLLECTOR?

Senate president pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada said he has intelligence information which showed that Cheryl Medina, the executive assistant of Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay, was the latter’s alleged collector of POGO “proceeds.”

Medina, who was present during the hearing, denied the allegation.

“Dati naka motorsiklo lang daw kayo, ngayon naka Toyota Fortuner na (You used to ride a motorcycle, but now you own a Toyota Fortuner),” Estrada said.

Medina did not deny that she now has a Toyota Fortuner but said it was only given to her by somebody. She was not able to expound.

Estrada said that a certain Ronagin Carolino, who was the former wife of Roderick Carolino who acted as a sales agent for Majesty Construction who delivered supplies to Calugay, was also a reported POGO “bagman” of the Sual mayor.

Ronagin was not around during the hearing, but Medina said the allegation against her was not true.

Roderick said Ronagin was employed by Calugay as a clerk in the municipal hall soon after they separated. Since then, he said he learned that Ronagin was also together with Medina.

Aside from doing clerical jobs, Medina said Ronagin helps in assisting Calugay’s visitors at the municipal hall. She said Ronagin was also tasked to handle their budget.

Estrada then presented a photo which showed that Calugay, Ronagin, Roderick, Medina, Arnel Salindong (Medina’s live-in partner), Wesley Guo (brother of Guo Hua Ping), and other individuals posing with then PNP chief Benjamin Acorda. The picture was supposedly taken at the “White House,” a term used in Camp Crame for the official residence of a sitting PNP chief.

Calugay said they informed Acorda two or three days ahead that they will visit him in Camp Crame to say hello, since Acorda was a former chief of police of Sual, Pangasinan.

Calugay said the meeting with Acorda was quick since the then PNP chief had to attend to other matters.

Calugay said he was a former police officer who had the rank of Police Officer 1 from 1993 to 2015, formerly assigned as an intel officer before he was assigned to Pangasinan. He opted for early retirement and ran as mayor of Sual during the 2019 elections.

BANK WITHDRAWALS

Sen. Joel Villanueva said he has information that Calugay withdrew P350 million and P150 million from two banks right after the Senate hearing last week.

Villanueva said the alleged withdrawals were apart from the P150 million Calugay reportedly withdrew from a bank in Pangsinan last July.

Calugay denied that he has millions of pesos in his bank accounts.

Villanueva asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council if it has monitored such withdrawals made by Calugay.

Villanueva said Calugay also borrowed P500 million from the Land Bank of the Philippines on behalf of the municipality of Sual, which he said was without a loan agreement based on a report from the Commission on Audit.

Calugay said the money was used for the various projects of Sual, but Villanueva said Calugay did not give COA a status report on the projects. The mayor said he will furnish the committee and the COA copies of the status report.

Calugay also signed a waiver to allow authorities to examine his bank accounts.

Villanueva also said Calugay purchased in cash a residential lot in Sual worth more than P8.4 million when he was still in the active police service while having a rank of PO1, which earns around P20,000 a month.

Calugay said the money was from their family business.

“Meron na akong ganyang pera. Meron kasing family business ang aking ka-partner, pinahiram ng pamilya (I have that amount of money since my partner’s family has a business. They lent me the money),” he added.

Estrada questioned why the Sual government has been awarding contracts to the construction business of Calugay’s partner, which he said was in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

“You awarded several contracts to your common-law partner’s business without a bidding… Ang shares ng common-law wife mo sa business ay 70 percent (The shares of your common-law wife in their business is 70 percent),” Estrada said.

Calugay denied favoring his wife’s construction business and said that it was only one barangay in Sual which awarded the contracts to her company, which he said was beyond his control as it was a decision made by the barangay.

WHIRLWIND

Meanwhile, Cassandra Li Ong admitted she joined Whirlwind Corporation, which leased a property for the Porac POGO hub, through her “godfather” Duanren Wu, who is wanted in China for fraud. Wu is the reported “boss” in the Porac POGO hub.

Upon her entry, Ong said she was appointed as corporate secretary and treasurer. She refused to give details of her tasks for fear that any information she would disclose would be used against her in the cases to be filed by the AMLC in connection with the operation of the Lucky South 99.

She said she has 58 percent shares at Whirlwind Corporation.

“Nakapasok ako sa Whirlwind through my ninong sa binyag na si Duanren Wu, pinakilala lang siya sa akin ng mother ko. Nagkakilala raw sila sa China. Siya na ang tumayong parent ko kasi pagdating niya dito sa Philippines ay kakaalis lang ng mother ko. Namatay siya nung 2017 (I was able to enter Whirlwind through my baptismal godfather which is Duanren Wu. He was introduced to me by my mother. My mother met him in China. He [Wu] acted as may parent when he arrived in the Philippines after my mother died in 2017),” Ong said.

Before her entry to Whirlwind, Ong said that a certain Charlotte, whom she described as a Chinese woman, used to get her services to fix the documents for Lucky South 99 Corporation, the operator of the illegal POGO firm in Porac.

She said she was just 19 years old when she was hired by Lucky South 99 on an on-call basis.

Among the documents she got for Lucky South 99 was a “Letter of No Objection” from the Porac government, which states that there is no objection for the company to put up a POGO hub in the municipality.

FORMER PNP CHIEFS

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a former PNP chief under the Duterte administration, said the Council of Chiefs has slammed Pagcor security chief Raul Villanueva for making a sweeping accusation that a former PNP chief was on the take from the POGO industry.

In a statement from the Council of Chiefs which he read during the hearing, Dela Rosa said the council “strongly condemns the irresponsible statement” made by Villanueva during last week’s Senate hearing.

“This is sweeping accusation which maligns and brings dishonor to all of us former chiefs, who have dedicated the best years of our lives in the service of the Filipino nation,” Dela Rosa said.

He said the council reminded Villanueva that as a former intelligence official of the military, he should not have made the statement without first validating the information.

During the hearing, Villanueva maintained that what he got was raw information, since he has not yet validated this since Pagcor has been busy running after illegal POGOs.

“As I have stated in the last hearing, I considered this as a rumor because I don’t have any confirmation or verified data,” Villanueva told dela Rosa, adding he has met with the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group where he clarified that the information was unverified.

“I qualified it as raw information, but I don’t have any malice in telling it,” he said, adding: “I verified it but I came up with nothing.”

CONTEMPT CITATION LIFTED

During the start of the hearing, Hontiveros announced that the committee has lifted the contempt citation on Shiela Guo, sister of Alice Guo, and she is now free to go home.

Shiela has been cited in contempt for her evading to give clear answers in connection with the manner on how she and Guo Hua Ping and Wesley Guo escaped.

The committee however issued subpoenas to other resource persons who were invited but did not appear.

Before the hearing ended, Hontiveros agreed to have an executive session with Alice Guo in the hope that Guo will tell what she knows of the illegal POGO operations.

The executive session was convened after the hearing. However, Hontiversos said it will be continued next week due to lack of time as senators have to attend the afternoon session.

Hontiveros said she will schedule another hearing as there are more matters that need to be cleared up. She said the panel will also invite Acorda following the mention of his name during the hearing.

Hontiveros has earlier said that yesterday’s hearing would be the last in connection with the Bamban POGO hub.

CUSTODY

The Bureau of Immigration said it will have legal custody over Sheila Guo but her physical custody will be with the National Bureau of Investigation.

“No final word on this one but our officers are ready to take custody since she has a pending deportation case with BI but physical custody is with the NBI,” BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said.

Asked to elaborate on what she means by legal custody, Sandoval said “physical custody is not with us but the case remains ongoing.”

She added that while the BI has the detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig to hold Guo, the NBI has the facilities to hold a subject that requires high security.

The BI and NBI are both agencies attached to the DOJ.

Hontiveros yesterday said Shiela Guo will be transferred to the custody of the BI.

Shiela Guo is facing charges for disobedience to summons by the Senate and for allegedly using a fake Philippine passport.

She is also a respondent in the money laundering complaint filed against the dismissed Bamban mayor by the Anti-Money Laundering Council before the Department of Justice.

Shiela Guo was cited in contempt by the Senate and ordered arrested in July. She was arrested by Indonesian authorities along with Katherine Cassadra Li Ong last August 22 and returned to Manila on the same day. – with Ashzel Hachero