The House Quad Committee on Monday urged the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to file civil forfeiture cases against Chinese nationals allegedly exploiting legal loopholes to acquire land and operate businesses in the Philippines.
The move aims to protect national security and curb foreign ownership violations, according to the chairpersons of the House Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts.
The Quad Comm submitted crucial documents to the OSG after conducting eight public hearings on the controversial Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). Central to the issue is Aedy Tai Yang, a Chinese national accused of falsifying Filipino citizenship to evade foreign land ownership laws.
Yang is linked to questionable land acquisitions and business operations, including the ownership of a Pampanga warehouse where authorities seized P3.6 billion worth of shabu in 2023. His birth certificate, issued in 2004, also raised concerns as it contradicts his claim of being born in 1983.
Further, documents from the Land Registration Authority (LRA) and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) tie Yang to questionable transactions, including properties acquired through Empire 999 Realty Corporation and Sunflare Industrial Supply Corp.
House leaders urged the OSG to work with various government agencies, including the LRA, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), to expedite the investigation and initiate legal action.
They warned that unchecked violations could endanger both the country’s national security and its economy. The Quad Comm investigation and document handover are part of broader efforts to address illegal POGOs and the crimes associated with its operations.
“We trust your office will prioritize this matter and act swiftly to protect the integrity of our nation’s legal and economic systems,” the Quad Comm told the OSG.
