SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers today urged the government, particularly its intelligence and law enforcement agencies, to dig into reports and stop some unscrupulous Chinese nationals allegedly engaged in a “creeping invasion” using drug or laundered money in land and property acquisition in the country.
Barbers, chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, made the call after the panel, during one of its hearings, was informed that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police were all facing a blank wall in establishing the identity of a purported Filipino-Chinese national identified as Willy Ong who is believed to be behind the shipment of 560 kilos worth P3.6-billion of shabu in Mexico, Pampanga last September.
The solon from Mindanao said Willy Ong, with his company registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Empire 999, has managed to own and operate a gasoline station and bought more than four hectares of land in Mexico town allegedly using Filipino dummies.
“Mr. Ong, based on documents we have on hand, has a UMID ID Card and a drivers’ license issued by the Land Transportation Office and used an address in Nueva Ecija. But the NBI and the PNP, despite weeks of search, could not locate him in his given address,” Barbers said.
The Unified Multi-purpose ID (UMID) card is a government-issued identification document in the Philippines. It’s a single ID card consolidating a person’s information from four government services, which contains a unique ID number, biometric data, and personal details.
“May mga natatanggap tayong reports na hindi lang sa Pampanga na merong buying spree nang lupa at properties ang ibang mga Chinese nationals tulad ni Willy Ong na umano’y gumamit ng fake credentials, kumuha ng government-issued IDs, at magpa-rehistro ng kanilang mga negosyo sa SEC, Department of Trade and Industry at mga local government units, gamit ang kanilang mga bayarang Filipino dummies,” Barbers said.
“Dapat din tingnan ng ating pamahalaan na ang nangyari na ito sa Mexico, Pampanga ay hindi isolated case. Mangyayari o nangyari na ito sa lugar ng Palawan, Bulacan, Zambales, sa Davao at iba pa. Baka magising na lang tayo isang umaga at malaman na marami nang lugar sa ating bansa ay nabili at pag-aari na ng mga Chinese nationals,” he added.
The House Dangerous Drugs panel is currently investigating in aid of legislation the seizure of P3.6-billion shabu shipment in Pampanga which came from Thailand, passed through the Subic Freeport, consigned and supposed to be delivered to a non-existent name and place in Binondo, Manila, but was re-routed to a warehouse owned by Willy Ong in Mexico town.
Former Mexico town Mayor Teddy Tumang, who had been cited for contempt and detained at the House detention facility, and some of his subordinates are currently the subject of scrutiny by members of the House Dangerous Drugs panel for their allegedly complicity in the illegal activities of Willy Ong.
In a follow-up hearing next month, the panel has summoned officials from the SEC, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to determine what Ong’s Empire 999 business firm have been engaged in, the real identity of his business partners, the taxes they paid to the local and national government, and where they sourced their investment money.
“I just hope that Mr. Ong’s businesses are all legit. And he should come out in the open to clear his name. Our panel would give him all the chance to do so. If he won’t, then we and the public may come up with various negative presumptions and conclusions about his business activities,” Barbers said.
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