The Senate approved House Bill 8839, granting Philippine citizenship to Li Duan Wang, despite concerns raised by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros regarding the foreigner's alleged connections to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).
Nineteen senators (19) voted in favor of granting citizenship to the Chinese businessman, with Senator Risa Hontiveros being the sole lawmaker who voted against the foreigner’s citizenship bill.
Concerns raised
During a plenary session on Monday, Hontiveros raised concerns, pointing out that the Chinese national, identified as Mark Ong, had several red flags, including his alleged connections to POGOs.
She further stated that the Chinese businessman is allegedly a junket operator and a business partner of Duanren Wu, the alleged big boss of the POGO raided in Porac, Pampanga.
"Ang negosyo niya ay nasa parehong building ng negosyo ni She Zhijiang, isang self-confessed Chinese spy. Konektado siya sa Philippine Jinjiang Yuxi Association, na sinasabing parte ng United Front work ng Communist Party of China," said Hontiveros.
"At sa mga opisyal na dokumento sa SEC, nagsinungaling siya at nag-presenta bilang Pilipinong si Mark Co Ong," she added.
Hontiveros questioned whether the country has not yet learned from the deceit of Guo Hua Ping, also known as Alice Guo, and Yang Jianxin, also known as Tony Yang, whom she described as abusive foreigners who posed as Filipinos to exploit the public and tarnish the country's system.
She then clarified that she is not accusing Wang of any crime, but for her, the red flags are enough reason to prevent him from being granted citizenship so easily.
Furthermore, she believes that the government should investigate Wang rather than pass a law to grant him Philippine citizenship.
"Ang pinag-uusapan natin ay hindi naman po simpleng application para sa driver’s license o business permit, kung saan simpleng checklist ng isinumite ang kailangan," said Hontiveros.
Ang naturang bill ay nangangailangan umano ng more rigor, scrutiny, and discernment from legislators. Obligasyon aniya ng Senado na siyasatin ang kasaysayan at pagkatao ng aplikante beyond what he has already declared in his own interest
The bill, she said, requires more rigor, scrutiny, and discernment from legislators. She emphasized that it is the Senate's obligation to investigate the applicant’s history and character beyond what he has already declared for his own interest.
In a Facebook post, Hontiveros urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto the bill, stating that if the president truly wants the POGO ban to be effective, he should not easily allow individuals with ties to major POGO actors to become Filipino citizens.
Senators defense
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian noted that the Chinese national has a business in the country, with no derogatory reports against him, and mentioned that he had submitted all the required documents.
He further stated that there is no concrete evidence to support the allegations of Wang’s ties to POGO.
The sentiment was echoed by Senator JV Ejercito, who cited that the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) had cleared the Chinese national of any involvement in POGO operations.
Wang is reportedly an active member of both the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
Moreover, Senate President Francis Escudero expressed respect for Hontiveros’ right to raise her concerns about the passage of the proposed law, but stated that the majority of those who disagreed with her have made their decision.
