By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – A web diagram of people “who benefited” from Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) presented during the last hearing of Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on Tuesday include former president Rodrigo Duterte.
The POGO network was presented by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros during her closing statement before adjourning the panel’s hearing into reported POGO-related crimes.
Duterte was placed at the top of his former economic adviser Michael Yang whom Hontiveros cited as “a key actor in Chinese intelligence operations” in the country.
“For five long years, counting our Pastillas investigation, the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality tried to leave no stone unturned to unravel the many evils brought to our shores by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs – POGOs welcomed with open arms by the administration of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Hontiveros said.
“They have now been revealed to be nothing but a Trojan horse. They have exposed a web of people who used POGOs for their own selfish interests, their own personal gain – all at the expense of the Filipino people,” she added.
Hontiveros also showed a photo of Yang with self-proclaimed Chinese agent She Zhijiang, a POGO operator who also claims links with dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo.
“Michael Yang is a key actor in Chinese intelligence operations here. Michael Yang na sangkot sa Pharmally, and if the reports are accurate, sa drug operations dito. Michael Yang na economic adviser ng dating Pangulo. Ginatasan na tayo, pinagtaksilan pa (who is involved in Pharmally, and if the reports are accurate, in drug operations here. Michael Yang who is the former President’s economic adviser. We have been exploited, even betrayed),” she said.
The panel is now drafting the committee report as a result of the investigations with recommendations of strengthening policies and guidelines against abuses in civil registration, immigration, money laundering, candidacy for public office, and national security.
Hontiveros assured that her committee is willing to share to the courts vast number of findings and pieces of evidence gathered during the probe. (PNA)
