The web unveiled in the Senate hearing implicated former President Rodrigo Duterte and ex-adviser Michael Yang to POGOs.
Senator Risa Hontiveros closed the Philippine senate’s probe on now-illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by exposing people who “used POGOs for their own selfish interests, their own personal gain.”
The web, which she unveiled to close out the hearing, involved former president implicated ex-president Rodrigo Duterte and ex-adviser Michael Yang in POGOs.
The five-year investigation, which included the probe on the “Pastillas Scam,” scrutinized policies enabling abuses, including immigration, business registration, and bank secrecy, highlighting the need for legislative reforms to prevent future exploitation. Hontiveros vowed to push for legal changes to protect Filipinos from similar abuses.
Hontiveros concluded that POGOs were used as a "Trojan horse" for corruption.
"Ang nilitis natin dito ay ang katibayan at kasapatan ng ating mga batas para hadlangan ang abuso ng POGO. At ang hatol–nung tinimbang, nakakalungkot at kulang na kulang (What we examined here is the evidence and adequacy of our laws to prevent the abuse of POGOs. And the verdict—when weighed—is disappointing and severely lacking),” Hontiveros said as quoted by GMA News Online.
The matrix also includes Cassandra Li Ong, the authorized representative of Lucky South 99, and Duterte’s former spokesperson, Harry Roque, who is currently hiding from authorities.
Aside from them, Alice Guo, and the self-confessed spy She Zhijiang were also included. Zhijiang alleged that Guo is a fellow spy. As reported by Philstar Life, Guo's family members, specifically her purported sister Sheila, brother Wesley, mother Lin Wen Yi, and father Jian Zhong Guo, are named in the list. They are reportedly involved as co-incorporators in various business ventures.
Additionally, Sual Mayor Dong Caluag, believed to be Guo's partner, is also connected to this network.
Additional individuals linked to Guo in Baofu Land include Yuzheng Can, Huang Zhiyang, Zhang Ruijin, Lin Baoyin, and JP Samson. Notably, Ruijin and Baoyin are implicated in Singapore's largest money laundering case.
Michael Yang's siblings, Tony and Hongjian, were also identified. Tony owns a POGO in Cagayan using Xionwei Technology, while Hongjian shares a joint account connected to Yuzheng Can of Hongsheng.
Further connections include Lin Weixiong, Yang's associate in Paili Holdings Corporation, and his wife, Rose Nono Lin, a Pharmally co-incorporator and owner of POGO Xionwei Technology. Gerald Cruz, linked to both Pharmally and Full Win Group of Companies, was named as well.
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