By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday urged her colleagues to reject the Filipino citizenship application of Li Duan Wang, also known as Mark Ong, citing his alleged links to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities and questionable personal records.
During her interpellation on the bill seeking to grant citizenship to Wang, Hontiveros presented evidence linking the applicant to Duanren Wu, a fugitive wanted in China and alleged mastermind of a POGO operation in Porac, Pampanga.
Photos of Wang alongside Wu during a casino launch in Clark, Pampanga were shown as proof of their association.
“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.
She also revealed that Wang is the operator of the 9 Dynasty junket group, which has shared officers with Rivendell, a POGO operation in Pasay involved in illegal activities.
Wang reportedly failed to disclose this information in his naturalization application.
“It raises questions that he didn’t disclose this. Why hide it?” Hontiveros asked.
She noted that Wang misrepresented himself as a Filipino citizen in official documents for Avia International Club.
“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,” she said.
Hontiveros flagged Wang’s possession of multiple taxpayer identification numbers (TINs), some of which were reportedly canceled or inconsistently used across different entities, including the foundation JuanCare and Avia International Club.
“Having multiple TINs is not legal. If proven that this was done intentionally, Wang could face charges under our laws,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros likewise raised concerns about Wang’s ties to the Philippine Jinjiang Yuxi Association, which she described as part of the United Front work of the Chinese Communist Party.
“I question where Mr. Wang’s loyalties would be if he is granted Filipino citizenship,” the senator said. (PNA)
