THE House Quad Comm has uncovered a deeply entrenched criminal syndicate, allegedly led by former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s presidential adviser Michael Yang and his associate Allan Lim, that has been embedded in a web of criminal activities—ranging from drug trafficking and money laundering to running illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs)—all with the collusion of corrupt government officials.
This shocking revelation emerged during the seventh public hearing of the mega-panel investigating the links between illegal POGOs, illicit drug trade, land grabbing by some Chinese nationals, and the extrajudicial killings associated with the previous administration’s brutal war on drugs.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. and Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez jointly presented a detailed matrix showing how Yang and Lim, alongside their fellow Chinese nationals, masterminded a complex criminal network.
“These Chinese nationals are setting up corporations all over the country, taking advantage of our laws by perpetrating and promoting illegal activities, to the great prejudice of our country and the Filipino people,” said Gonzales, representative of the 3rd District of Pampanga.
“Mukhang may natisod po kami,” Suarez declared during his part of the presentation on the committee’s initial findings.
“Mukhang may koneksyon at pare-pareho ang cast of characters. A criminal enterprise has penetrated us and has been operating with ‘quiet impunity’ – and out of these operations, eh inuubos at nagkaka-monopoly na po ata to crimes that strike at the very basic fundamental rights – human trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution, murder, love scams, crypto scams at lahat na ng cyberscams,” Suarez pointed out.
In his portion of the presentation, Suarez revealed that Yang and Lim used legitimate businesses as fronts for their criminal activities, with DCLA Plaza, a shopping mall in Davao, allegedly serving as a hub for Yang’s drug distribution network.
According to Suarez, the duo had “layered” their corporate operations using multiple companies to conceal their illicit activities, while also expanding their criminal operations into the POGO industry.
“As the investigations progressed, there were corporations that kept surfacing and familiar names, names that have been tied to controversial investigations,” Suarez stated.
Suarez explained that they conducted an in-depth investigation into the corporations, using open sources, documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission, and records submitted to the panels comprising the Quad Committee. Through this, they uncovered “a pattern, a partnership, and an alignment.”
“Nung nakita po namin ang pattern ay sinundan namin pataas ang mga korporasyon na ito, stripped it of its layers, to get to the top and thru it all, we have discovered and identified at least two main actors or players in the issue of illegal drugs and illegal activities associated with POGOs,” Suarez said, referring to Yang and Lim.
Among these companies is Brickhartz Technology Inc., which has been allegedly involved in several kidnapping cases and is linked to Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., a POGO operation connected to Lim.
Brickhartz and Xionwei were linked to the Baofu Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, a notorious facility with connections to dismissed Mayor Alice Guo, where Chinese nationals were arrested for various criminal activities.
The Quad Committee also established links between Yang and Lim and the controversial Lucky South 99, which operates a POGO hub in Porac, that was raided by authorities for various illegal activities. The firm is represented by Katherine Casandra Li Ong.
The investigation of the joint panel further uncovered Yang and Lim’s links to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., which was implicated in anomalous purchases of health and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mega-panel also uncovered that Empire 999 Realty Corporation, tied to Yang, was involved in the discovery of a P3.6-billion shabu shipment in Mexico, Pampanga in 2023.
Suarez highlighted a recurring pattern where Yang used Gerald Cruz, Jayson Uson and Yugin Zheng, while Lim relied on his wife, Rose Nono Lin, as nominees in corporate structures to conceal ownership.
Lin, listed as an incorporator in at least eight companies connected to Yang, played a pivotal role in their expansive operations.
Suarez said that a significant new development in the investigation involved the arrest of Yang’s elder brother, Tony Yang, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Tony Yang, also known as Antonio Maestrado Lim, was apprehended as an undesirable alien. He was intercepted at the airport carrying P1.4 million in cash and six firearms.
“Si Tony Yang ang eldest brother among the Yang brothers. Siya daw ang totoong mastermind o architect ng lahat ng operasyon at criminal syndicate ng Yang Brothers dito sa ating bansa,” Suarez declared during the hearing.
He noted that another brother of Michael Yang is Hong Jiang Yang.
Tony Yang, who owns multiple businesses in Cagayan de Oro City, including the Yang Zi Hotel—a former POGO hub—and Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp., which was allegedly involved in rice smuggling and human trafficking.
He is also the president of Oro One, Inc., a service provider for Xionwei Technologies, one of Lim’s POGO companies.
Suarez said Tony Yang’s businesses are involved in various illegal activities, including drug smuggling and land acquisition schemes using fraudulent documents.
Suarez warned that the criminal syndicate, composed primarily of Chinese nationals, has extended its reach into the country’s national security and sovereignty.
The investigation found that foreign nationals linked to Yang and Lim were acquiring land through fraudulent means, including the use of fake birth certificates and government IDs.
“Hindi lang po ‘yan,” Suarez said. “Nagsimula nang kamkamin, gamit ang iba’t-ibang korporasyon o mga indibidwal, mga banyaga pretending to be Filipinos sa pamamagitan ng pamemeke ng mga birth certificate at iba pang government IDs, ang ating lupain na dapat ay para sa Pilipino lamang.”
“This is a serious threat to our national security and to our very sovereignty as a nation,” he pointed out.
Based on its findings, Gonzales said the Quad Committee will recommend the filing of criminal, civil, and administrative cases against those involved, as well as introducing legislative reforms to close the loopholes in the legal system.
“Hindi po dito nagtatapos ang trabaho ng Quad Comm. Ang imbestigasyon na ito, na aming binigyan ng panahon at pagod, ay ang simula,” Gonzales said.
Among the laws targeted for amendment are the Philippine Adaptation of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, the Special Investor’s Resident Visa Program, the Anti-Dummy Law and the Philippine Passport Act.
“We will end their era,” Gonzales vowed. “Samahan nyo po kami. Hindi lang po ito laban ng Kongreso, laban po natin ito bilang mga Pilipino. Sino ba naman ang hindi naghahangad ng mas maayos at mabuting Pilipinas?”
As the investigation moves forward, the Quad Committee is determined to uncover the financial networks and local enablers that allowed Yang and Lim’s criminal syndicate to thrive.
“Sa ngayon, ay na-uncover pa lang po natin ang criminal enterprise. Wala pa po tayo sa tanong na who enabled them to freely and with impunity operate. Mga dayuhan po ang na-identify natin. Hindi po ito makaka-operate kung walang mga Pilipinong tumulong,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales continued, “Wala pa rin po tayo sa financial links. Kulang pa. To completely paralyze them is to cut the financial stream o ang agos ng pera. Saan na naman po nagkulang ang ating batas sa dalawang usaping ito?”
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