Senate panel report: File charges vs. Dong Calugay, Tony Yang, others
Metro Manila, Philippines - The Senate committee that conducted marathon hearings on crimes linked to offshore gaming operations is pushing for criminal cases against public officials and employees, as well as Chinese nationals allegedly involved in illegal POGOs and in protecting dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, chairperson of the committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality, sponsored the committee report in plenary on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Seventeen senators signed the report.
The committee recommended the filing of graft and corruption charges against Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay, an alleged business partner of Guo, also known as Guo Hua Ping. Calugay denied having any business or romantic ties with the disgraced former local official.
“Napatunayan natin na isang opisina at staff ng local mayor mismo ang tumulong para mag-notaryo ng sinumpaang salaysay ng Guo Hua Ping na wala na sa Pilipinas,” Hontiveros said in plenary.
[Translation: We have proven that an office and staff of the local mayor himself helped notarize the affidavit of Guo Hua Ping, who was already out of the country.]
She recalled how Calugay’s staff facilitated the notarization of Guo’s affidavit despite her absence, as she had already fled the country - though her escape was short-lived, ending with her arrest in Indonesia in September 2024.
RELATED: Guo family's businesses in Sual, Pangasinan under scrutiny
Guo has been detained at the Pasig City Jail, facing multiple charges related to her involvement in illegal POGOs and her fraudulent Philippine citizenship.
Yang brothers
The report also called for charges against Tony Yang, the brother of Rodrigo Duterte’s former presidential economic adviser, Michael Yang, for fraudulently using a Filipino identity.
Yang was arrested in September for misrepresenting himself as a Filipino and falsifying documents. During the Senate hearing, he admitted he was born in China but obtained a certificate of live birth stating he was born in Misamis Oriental.
Yang has several businesses in Cagayan de Oro but denied allegations of owning a POGO company.
READ: Tony Yang: ‘Fake’ Filipino, alleged POGO boss, friend to cops
Meanwhile, another brother of Yang was found to have had financial transactions with Baofu Land Development Inc., which hosted the POGOs linked to Guo. The report called for a deeper investigation into the alleged financial crimes of the Yang brothers, as well as their suspected intelligence work for China.
The committee urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to continue efforts to get in touch with self-confessed Chinese spy She Zhijiang to gather more information on Guo’s alleged espionage and malign foreign influence activities.
Recommended bills
The committee recommends measures, including a comprehensive law banning offshore gaming entities and activities, as well as online games of chance in Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation-operated casinos, licensed casinos, and integrated resorts with junket agreements.
It also seeks to rationalize the issuance of visas to foreign nationals, among other measures.
Hontiveros emphasized the urgency of government action, noting that issues with POGOs persist despite the ban imposed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Ngayon pa lang- may nakukuha nang report ang aming opisina mula sa empleyado ng POGO. Pinapalipat na sila ng base of operations sa isang casino sa Parañaque, at gaya ng sa POGO- naka-dorm sa isang condominium sa Pasay,” Hontiveros said.
[Translation: Even now, our office has received reports from POGO employees. They’re being transferred to a casino in Parañaque, and like in POGOs, they’re being housed in a condominium dorm in Pasay.]
“Bukod d’yan, nakatanggap din kami ng reports na may mga Pilipino paring natatraffick sa ibang bansa sa Asya at pilit na pinapascam. Kung hindi sila maka-scam, sinasaktan, tinotortyur. They need our immediate help,” she added.
[Translation: Additionally, we’ve received reports of Filipinos still being trafficked to other countries in Asia and forced into scams. If they can’t scam, they’re beaten and tortured. They need our immediate help.]
The legislative probe, which lasted almost three years, began with reports of Filipinos trafficked abroad to work in scam hubs, eventually uncovering links to POGOs and other crimes.
Senator Joel Villanueva, meanwhile, pushed for an amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act to regulate cryptocurrency.
“Ayon sa ating mga ahensya, isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit hindi nila agad na-detect ang mga ilegal na transaksyon ni Guo Hua Ping at mgaPOGO ay dahil sa kanilang paggamit ng cryptocurrency,” Villanueva said.
[Translation: According to our agencies, one of the reasons they were unable to detect the illegal transactions of Guo Hua Ping and the POGOs immediately was due to their use of cryptocurrency.]
