Cleaning up Duterte’s Chinese mess

Recent law enforcement raids have revealed that Duterte created a Chinese problem beyond the West Philippine Sea.

Duterte’s laxity in allowing all sorts of Chinese characters to come into the country is now a law-and-order problem. It is turning out that many Chinese fugitives from China’s justice system managed to establish roots in our country.

A Chinese national tagged as the big boss of illegal POGOs was arrested in Biñan, Laguna. Another one, described by the police as an undesirable alien involved in other criminal cases, shot a fellow Chinese over what the Chinese Embassy suspected was an argument over offshore gambling, according to reports.

According to the PNA, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, said the suspect arrested by joint PAOCC and Bureau of Immigration personnel inside a subdivision in Biñan was placed under intense surveillance before he was apprehended in a gathering along with several Chinese companions – all said to be prominent POGO leaders – and bodyguards.

“We can say that he is the kingpin of the POGOs here because he has been in the country since 2016 (the year Duterte was elected). Since then, he built POGOs in Regions 3 (Central Luzon), 1 (Ilocos Region), 4 (Calabarzon) and Metro Manila. He has established many POGOs and we are looking into his involvement in these operations),” Cruz said.

The name of the Chinese national arrested in Laguna surfaced during the investigation into Lucky South 99, the POGO hub raided in Pampanga in June for alleged involvement in human trafficking and scams, Cruz explains. “We have been hunting him for almost eight months,” he added.

“Kapag hinahanap nga namin ito, gumagamit din ito ng chopper. Nahihirapan kaming sundan itong si Lyu Dong,” he added.

Many of the Chinese POGO bosses that the PAOCC task force arrested in raids in Tarlac and Pampanga are also said to be fugitives from Chinese justice. They have apparently bought their way into our country which they made their base of operations for all sorts of scams and criminal activities.

After intense interrogation, we should immediately deport these criminals to China, into the loving arms of the Chinese police who will welcome them at the airport. Never mind facing our justice system for the crimes they committed here. The longer they stay in our jails, the stronger the possibility they will escape and reestablish their criminal operations here. They seem to be very well connected with corrupt Filipino officials for them to illegally operate that easily and for so long.

We all know we have the best justice system money can buy and our police are apparently also ready to work for these criminal syndicates given the right offer. Elements of the PNP special forces were found moonlighting as bodyguards for Chinese POGO bosses at Ayala Alabang. There were also reports that the Pagcor inspection team was stopped by the local police at Bamban, Tarlac. The PAOCC operatives were eventually able to conduct the raid but some of the targets had already escaped.

Duterte’s term caused the proliferation of POGOs beyond the ability of Pagcor and law enforcement agencies to police.  When BBM appointed Al Tengco as chairman of Pagcor, there were 298 POGO licensees and service providers, but now there are only 41 licensees. But even that is not easy to regulate, especially because they have this practice of sub-leasing their licenses. Total closure is our only option.

Indeed, the biggest problem of our law enforcers this new year is how to track down and close illegal POGO operations. According to the PNA, the PNP has formed the Special Task Force Skimmer to launch law enforcement intelligence operations aimed at dismantling the illegal activities and network of the POGOs.

By Jan. 1, implementing the shutdown becomes the headache of the national police. The Bureau of Immigration has announced that they would cancel working visas 59 days before Dec. 31.

But the Chinese criminal elements running POGOs are used to operating outside the law. So, it will be a nationwide cat-and-mouse game as law enforcement agents seek them out.

The story is that this early, many tourist resorts away from population centers are being transformed into the new venues for the operations of illicit POGOs even ahead of Dec. 31. Resort owners were reportedly offered large sums to rent entire hotels for a year or more, a year’s payment in advance. Conference rooms are being turned into work areas where computers and other gadgets are being used for scamming people internationally.

It is so sad that the Duterte era turned our country into a criminal hub like those found in the Golden Triangle along the border areas of Myanmar, Thailand and China. We have to take our country back from these Chinese criminals.

Land deals in Central Luzon over the last few years should also be scrutinized to verify reports that these Chinese criminals have bought a lot of land using fake Filipino citizenship papers. LGU officials should help find where these criminal elements are operating under pain of being suspended or removed from office if any are found in their jurisdiction.

This squabble between the Marcos and Duterte families is providential. So much dirt is now being uncovered. The country is given an opportunity to clean up as a prerequisite for better days if we are able to get these governance issues finally right.

From the mountain of Duterte’s dirt we are seeing, we should prioritize dealing with the Chinese criminal elements because this is also a national security issue. Let’s start deporting them, especially the kingpins. Let China deal with its own criminals. We have enough of our own.

Boo Chanco’s email address is [email protected]. Follow him on X @boochanco.