Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has asked authorities to look into reports that certain mysterious Chinese nationals are buying multiple lands and properties in different parts of the Philippines using money from the illegal drug trade. 

In particular, Barbers, the chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, wants intelligence and law enforcement agencies to gather what they can about this "creeping invasion". 

The veteran solon made the call even as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) continued to grapple with an enigmatic individual named Willy Ong who is believed to be behind the shipment of 560 kilos or P3.6 billion worth of "shabu" in Mexico, Pampanga last September. 

He said that 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. 

“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 (DTI) at mga local government units, gamit ang kanilang mga bayarang Filipino dummies,” Barbers said. 

(We have reports that this buying spree of lands and properties by Chinese nationals like Willy Ong are taking place not only in Pampanga. They use fake credentials, acquire government-issued IDs, register their businesses before the SEC, DTI, and local government units using Filipino dummies for hire.)
 
“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," he said, adding that laundered money could also be in the equation. 

(Our government must look at what's happening here in Mexico, Pampanga as not an isolated case. This will happen and has happened already in places like Palawan, Bulacan, Zambales, and Davao.) 

Barbers added: "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." 

(We might wake up one morning and find out that a lot of places in our country have already been bought and are already the property of Chinese nationals.) 
 

READ THIS:

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/10/romualdez-has-sharp-words-for-china

He spoke more about Ong, which has stumped law enforcers so far. 

“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.
 
The House dangerous drugs panel is currently investigating in aid of legislation the confiscation of the P3.6-billion shabu shipment in Pampanga. 

It originated 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.