Ex-mayor Tumang cited in contempt, 'lies' about ties to Chinese nationals involved in illegal land deals
MANILA, Philippines — Dismissed Mexico, Pampanga Mayor Teddy Tumang was cited in contempt by the House Quad Committee for “lying” about his relationship with Chinese nationals involved in alleged illegal land acquisition.
The four-committee panel also ordered his detention in the House of Representatives until the hearings are terminated.
At the House Quad Committee’s 12th hearing on Wednesday, November 27, Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro (Batangas, 2nd District) asked Tumang if he knew Willie Ong and Aedy Tai Yang “personally.”
“Hindi po (No), Your Honor,” the dismissed mayor answered.
Who are Ong and Yang? The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed to lawmakers that Ong and Yang are two of the five Chinese incorporators of Empire 999 Realty Corp., who purchased land in Mexico, Pampanga.
“It’s supposedly a Filipino-owned corporation, but it turns out that all the incorporators of the company are Chinese nationals,” NBI Dangerous Drugs Division Chief Ross Jonathan Galicia said.
Based on their investigation, he said that Empire 999 was registered as Filipino-owned because Ong and Yang were able to secure a birth certificate. This was verified by the National Statistics Office, which they told the NBI was falsified, Galicia added.
Unconstitutional ownership. Article 7, Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution prohibits foreigners from fully claiming ownership of land or businesses in the Philippines. The panel established, with the NBI’s confirmation, that Ong and Yang own around 320 land areas.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said that they seized 560 kilos of shabu, worth over P3 billion, from one of Empire 999’s warehouses in Barangay San Jose Malino.
How did Tumang lie?
One of the committee’s co-chairs, Rep. Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist), immediately warned Tumang that he would be cited in contempt if he chose to lie.
Tumang maintained his answer, saying that he does not personally know Ong and Yang and first met them at the municipality when they inquired about the land they could purchase.
“Hindi ko po personally kilala si Willie Ong and Aedy Yang. Pumunta po sa munisipyo, doon ko lang sila nakilala dahil nag-inquire na bibili silang lupa,” he said.
(I don't personally know Willie Ong and Aedy Yang. They went to the municipality, and that's where I met them as they inquired about buying land.)
Luistro questioned this because a meeting and conversation with the two Chinese nationals already meant that he knew them personally. Still, Tumang insisted that it was not the case.
Paduano was frustrated because he, and other members of the House Committee on Public Accounts, had gathered evidence and photos showing how Tumang even traveled to China with Yang.
He moved to cite Tumang in contempt for violating Section 11 of the House rules on inquiry proceedings for not telling the truth.
When given the chance to explain, Tumang said that he had only met Ong once and Yang twice — both times at the municipality. After their initial meeting, he said he frequently met with Yang and later visited China upon Yang’s invitation.
Paduano reiterated his motion and it was seconded by Rep. Romeo Acop (Antipolo, 2nd District).
He and Rep. Dan Fernandez (Lone District, Santa Rosa) noted that Tumang’s behavior during the investigation into questionable land sales in Mexico, Pampanga, before the Quad Comm, revealed a tendency to confess only when confronted with evidence.
Acop then moved to detain the dismissed mayor, which the committee approved unanimously.
Tongue-tied. Tumang also seemed confused with his own answers. He told Luistro that he met up with Yang several times even before going to Fujian, China during his first term, which started in 2004. However, he said earlier that he met Ong and Yang around 2018 to 2020.
When Luistro pressed further about his travel to China, Tumang stressfully said he could no longer respond to the committee’s queries because he was not feeling well.
He was excused and the committee was forced to question Tumang’s brother, Alex Tumang. Alex confessed that he sold his property to Ong during Paduano’s interpellation.
The Quad Comm submitted the documentary evidence they gathered to the Office of Solicitor General for them to examine themselves.
House lawmakers have also filed bills seeking to transfer ownership of illegally acquired Philippine land by foreigners to the government and expedite the cancelation of fraudulent birth certificates obtained by foreigners.
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