By Brian Campued
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) bared a matrix connecting Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) to drug syndicates and corporate fraud during the public hearing of the House Quad-Committee on Wednesday.
According to PDEA Deputy Director General Renato Gumban, transnational groups exploit legal loopholes and corporate structures to facilitate drug trafficking, money laundering, and controversial land deals involving foreign nationals.
Citing a joint operation by PDEA, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Customs, and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency in Mexico, Pampanga on Sept. 24, 2023, which netted P3.6 billion worth of shabu, Gumban said the illegal drugs were discovered in a warehouse owned by a certain Willie Ong, also known as Cai Qimeng.
Based on the matrix, Ong acquired the land for the warehouse with alleged assistance from dismissed Mexico mayor Teddy Tumang.
Ong, who was incorporator of Empire 999 Realty Inc., allegedly participated in a larger network of illicit activities involving Golden Sun 999 Realty and Development Corporation and Yatai Industrial Park Inc., which was also linked to Ong and another incorporator named Aedy Yang.
Golden Sun 999 is connected to businesswoman Rose Nono Lin, involved in the issue of corruption in Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Gumban, Lin’s husband, Allan Lim, was implicated in drug operations and casino junket schemes and included in a 2017 drug matrix by former police colonel Eduardo Acierto due to alleged clandestine drug laboratories in Luzon and Mindanao.
Lin also has corporate ties to former presidential adviser Michael Yang, who was similarly implicated for allegedly handling logistics and financial operations for drug syndicates.
Meanwhile, Hong Jiang Yang, a sibling of Michael Yang, allegedly funded Hongsheng Gaming Technology Inc., a raided POGO in Bamban, Tarlac.
Further investigations into Hongsheng’s financial dealings uncovered links to Baufu Land Development Inc., which was owned by dismissed mayor Alice Guo.
Financial investigations by the Anti-Money Laundering Council revealed that Guo obtained illicit funds through entities like QJJ Farm and RMCE Metal Products Trading Company, both previously linked to money laundering for convicted Chinese drug lord Peter Co.
Co’s accounts were found to be actively used in laundering operations involving Concepcion and Ronnie Chua, who were connected to POGO-related entities and other corporate personalities under investigation.
Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro described the revelations as both enlightening and deeply troubling, emphasizing the complexity of the mentioned schemes.
“The volume of corporate layering along with the corporate personalities are truly overwhelming, Mr. Chair,” Luistro said. (with report from Mela Lesmoras)
—av
