Michael Yang, associate linked to ‘web of criminal activities’

MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential adviser Michael Yang and his associate Allan Lim were linked by the House of Representatives’ quad committee on Friday to a “web of criminal activities” in the country which are “all with the collusion of corrupt officials.”

At the continuation of the quad comm’s hearing, House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Deputy Speaker David Suarez jointly presented a detailed matrix showing how Yang and Lim, along with their fellow Chinese nationals, masterminded a “complex criminal network” in the country.

“These Chinese nationals are setting up corporations all over the country, taking advantage of our laws by perpetrating and promoting illegal activities, to the great prejudice of our country and the Filipino people,” Gonzales said.

The unlawful activities involved ranged from drug trafficking, extrajudicial killings and money laundering to running illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

Through an in-depth investigation into companies using documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission, open sources and records, “a pattern, a partnership and an alignment” have been uncovered between companies involved in illegal activities.

Suarez said that the duo had “layered” their corporate operations using multiple companies to conceal their illicit activities and used fraudulent names as nominees in corporate structures to hide their ownership.

He also revealed that Yang and Lim used legitimate businesses as fronts for their criminal activities, such as the DCLA Plaza, a shopping mall in Davao City, which allegedly serves as a hub for Yang’s drug distribution network.

Among the companies investigated was Brickhartz Technology Inc., which has been allegedly involved in several kidnapping cases and is linked to Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd., a POGO operation connected to Lim.

Brickhartz and Xionwei were linked to the raided Baofu Compound in Bamban, Tarlac, a facility connected to dismissed mayor Alice Guo, where Chinese nationals were arrested for various criminal activities.

The committee also established links between Yang and Lim and the controversial Lucky South 99 POGO firm in Porac. Cassandra Li Ong, who is also the subject of quad comm’s probe, represents the POGO firm.

The panel also found links between Yang and Lim to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., which was implicated in anomalous purchases of health and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Empire 999 Realty Corporation, which is tied to Yang, was also discovered to be involved in the discovery of a P3.6-billion shabu shipment in Mexico, Pampanga in 2023.

Suarez also revealed that Yang’s elder brother, Tony Yang also known as Antonio Maestrado Lim, is said to be the real mastermind of all the operations and criminal syndicate of the Yang brothers in the country.

Tony Yang owns multiple businesses in Cagayan de Oro City, including former POGO hub Yang Zi Hotel and Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp., which was allegedly involved in rice smuggling and human trafficking.

He is also the president of Oro One, Inc., a service provider for Xionwei Technologies, one of Lim’s POGO companies.

The panel also found that foreign nationals linked to Yang and Lim were acquiring land through fraudulent means, including the use of fake birth certificates and government IDs.