The congressional inquiry into Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators (POGOs) and their local enablers appears far from over, at least, if Senator Sherwin Gatchalian can have his way.
Gatchalian said Yang Jian Xin alias Tony Yang, the brother of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang, should also be questioned before the Upper Chamber.
Yang was arrested by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 last Thursday evening.
However, Gatchalian said it is uncertain if Yang will be invited to the supposed last Senate POGO hearing set on Tuesday.
Last week, Senator Risa Hontiveros said that the panel on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which she chairs, may terminate its probe on POGOs and disgraced ex-mayor Alice Guo after Tuesday’s hearing.
Still, Gatchalian said in a radio interview on Sunday that many questions are left unanswered, and Yang may help fill some crucial gaps.
“Right now, he is with the [Bureau of] Immigration. He has immigration offenses,” the senator said over DZBB.
“I want to see where this money went. We have to totally analyze because there might be money that went to criminal activities. That’s the purpose of the Anti-Money Laundering Council,” he noted.
Gatchalian said he wants Yang to identify a certain “Mr. Khan” with whom he shares a bank account that may contain as much as P7 billion.
“We will look into his declared businesses,” the Senator added.
He also asserted that Yang is likely a Chinese national posing as a local because he cannot speak Filipino.
At the Lower House, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday slammed Mylah Roque, wife of fugitive lawyer Harry Roque, Mylah, for branding him an “abusive person.”
“I would like to vehemently deny Mrs. Mylah Roque’s claim that I am an abusive individual who abuses my immunity from libel during the Quadcom hearings,” he said.
“If she would have the time to watch the Quadcom hearings, from the first to the sixth, our latest, which can be viewed in various social media platforms, she can clearly observe and see that as Quadcom chair, I was the one who acts as the ‘rudder’ of the team, very calmly leading House leaders and panel members in toning down some unnecessary remarks or comments as the probe goes on,” he added.
“As to her claim that I linked her name as one of the incorporators of the beleaguered illegal Philippine offshore gaming operator Lucky South 99, I think that only her husband, Harry Roque had been linked to said gambling firm. Not Mrs. Mylah Roque,” he further stated.
The Biancham Holdings and Trading Inc., the Roque family-owned company, leased their property to fugitive Cambodian Sun Liming and his Chinese partner, Wang Keping, both allegedly engaged in financial scams victimizing investors in China.
Barbers also pointed out that it was not he who questioned Mrs. Roque’s fitness to attend the Quad Comm hearings.
“It was Public Order and Safety chair, Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano and Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, who sought the medical records coming from your doctors. Not me,” he said.
“Your husband Harry’s continued refusal to submit the vital documents he promised to provide the Quadcom only increased the lawmakers’ curiosity on the sudden increase of his wealth, from P125,000 in 2016, to P125 million in 2018,” Barbers added.
In a Facebook post, Mrs. Roque called Barbers an “abusive individual” for claiming she is an incorporator of POGO firm Lucky South 99.
“Ace Barbers is an abusive individual. He abuses his immunity from libel with a claim that I am an incorporator of Lucky South even when there is no single document linking me to it,” she wrote online.
As this developed, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said Guo will most likely be transferred to the Pasig City Jail from the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame today after the original plan to move her on Friday failed to materialize.
The dismissed Bamban mayor earlier underwent booking procedures and medical examination at Camp Crame before her scheduled transfer to the new detention facility.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Tony Yang’s Senate probe appearance uncertain”
