Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on the Senate to deny Filipino citizenship to a Chinese national who has ties with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) actors.
During Hontiveros’ interpellation on the Bill granting Filipino citizenship to Li Duan Wang aka Mark Ong, the senator showed photos of the applicant, seen beside Duanren Wu — the alleged brains behind the POGO in Porac, Pampanga—during an exclusive 9 Dynasty casino grand launch in Clark, Pampanga.
Wu is also said to be the godfather of Cassandra Li Ong, and a wanted fugitive in China.
“It should not inspire confidence in us Senators that Wang is an associate of a fugitive and a POGO boss embroiled in human trafficking,” Hontiveros said.
“Sana suriing mabuti ng mga kapwa ko Senador itong background ni Wang kasi nagwawagayway ang mga red flag ng aplikante (I hope my fellow senators will carefully examine Wang's background because the applicant's red flags are waving),” Hontiveros said.
In his application for naturalization, the senator noted Wang did not even disclose that he is the operator of 9 Dynasty junket group that has shared officers with Rivendell, an illegal POGO scam hub in Pasay.
“Nakakataas ng kilay na hindi niya sinabi sa application. Bakit niya itinago (It raises the eyebrow that he didn't say this on the application. Why did he hide it)?” Hontiveros pointed out.
She also said Wang, identifying as Mark Ong, represented himself as a Filipino citizen in the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the company Avia International Club, which he again didn’t disclose in his naturalization application.
“You cannot be a Filipino citizen while applying to be one. Both facts cannot be true at the same time. This clear lie already suggests bad faith on the part of the applicant,” the senator said.
Hontiveros then sounded the alarm about Avia International Club being associated with Yatai Spa, which is connected to self-confessed Chinese spy She Zhijiang.
The senator pointed out Avia and Yatai share one building space in Pasay. In a document listing junket operators, 9 Dynasty also registers Avia Club Newport Pasay as its address.
The senator also questioned Wang’s possession of several tax identificatiom numbers (TIN), noting that his TIN in his Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) ID is different from the TIN in his foundation, JuanCare.
Upon verification, the TIN that was used for Juancare is already cancelled. Wang, using the name Mark Ong, also has another TIN used for Avia.
“Sino ba siya talaga? Hindi po legal ang pagkakaroon ng napakaraming TIN. Kung mapatunayan po na sinadya niyang kumuha ng maraming TIN, pwede siya makasuhan sa ilalalim ng ating batas (Who is he really? Having too many TINs is not legal. If it is proven that he intentionally took many TINs, he can be charged under our law),” she stressed.
“There is certainly a need to investigate this person further,” Hontiveros said.
She also raised concerns over Wang’s affiliation with Philippine Jinjiang Yuxi Association, which is said to be part of the United Front work of the Communist Party of China.
“I question where Mr. Wang’s loyalties would be, if he is granted Filipino citizenship by the Philippine Senate,” the senator said.
During her interpellation, Hontiveros said she could not, in good conscience, vote to confer citizenship on Wang.
“I am shocked that this person was able to advance so far in the naturalization process despite all the red flags in his background. Hindi po ito pamemeke lang ng birth certificate sa isang local civil registry sa probinsya (This is not just forging a birth certificate in a local civil registry in the province). This one is right in the halls of the Senate and House of Representatives, harap-harapan (face-to-face). Huwag naman sana magpaloko ang Senado (I hope the Senate would not allow itself to be fooled),” the lawmaker reiterated.