Two illegal mines and a POGO raided recently have been operating for years. Authorities are determining who the “padrinos” are.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission swooped down Oct. 30 on Rockstar Contract Solution Inc. and Global Min Met Mining Co. in Homonhon Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
Raiders nabbed 13 Chinese execs who had no work permits. PAOCC said they’re with a transnational crime syndicate that threatens nature and national interest.
The Chinese mines level mountainsides for nickel and chromite ore. Rocks are barged to China for processing into weapons and surveillance equipment.
Ten aliens were arrested in Rockstar and three in Global Min Met: Ning Yang, Bo Yang, Xiaodong Yang, Yan He, Zhiye Li, Xiaotao Liang, Jianshe Zhang, Liang Zhang, Yongxin Xu, Zhen Wang, Zhongyin Liu, Bin Liu, Chenhui Liu.
This column exposed on Feb. 27, 2019 a Chinese who twice brought armed men to Homonhon and terrorized islanders. Yan Ming, who resides in Metro Manila, strutted like a general commanding a battalion.
An influential general of the past admin reportedly was Yan Ming’s “godfather” then.
Although in civvies, the armed men with automatic rifles allegedly were soldiers. Twice they arrived by boat in Barangays Canawayon and Casiguran, looking for managers of licensed miner Tech-Iron Resources.
Children ran to schoolhouses, homes and shops shut doors and windows as armed bands roamed around.
In the second incident, uniformed policemen accompanied them to serve a Taguig court liquidation order against the mining firm. Failing to pacify Yan Ming, barangay officers declared him persona non grata.
The incidents occurred during the Election 2019 firearms ban. Local newsmen couldn’t get comments from Comelec, the Army and provincial police.
Last week PAOCC said the 13 Chinese were arrested for breaking environment, labor and tax laws. The “undesirable aliens” face deportation.
PAOCC deemed the Chinese mines a security issue since they’re in strategic high-ground overlooking Benham Rise and East Philippine Sea. China trespasses Benham on silly pretext that it was the first to name five seabed features there.
Homonhon, where Magellan first landed in Islas Filipinas in 1521, is the Visayas’ easternmost tip. Homonhon Environmental Advocates and Rights Defenders opposes mining in the 10,000 hectares.
Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan defends the operations of four miners: Emir Mineral Resources, Chromite King, Nickelace and Mt. Sinai Mining Exploration and Development Corp. Supposedly they employ 1,550 locals, and bulldoze and dynamite only a tenth of the island.
On Oct. 31 PAOCC raided gaming company Central One Bataan in Bagac. The firm had no PAGCOR license to accept and pay out bets. All it had was a business process outsourcing permit from the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan.
Central One’s Malaysian CEO Norman Chaw denied any criminality.
PAOCC secured a cyber-warrant to examine contents of seized computers and mobiles. About 600 Filipinos and 300 foreigners work there.
Central One has no ties to nearby POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga, PAOCC said. But it’s looking into tips that a couple who held high positions in the past admin are protectors.
PAOCC is running after 300 or so remnant Philippine offshore gaming operators that commit human trafficking, cyber-scamming, abduction, torture and money laundering.
Only last June 25, Bataan Gov. Joet Garcia and AFAB director Joey Angeles toured local newsmen around Central One’s premises. PNP Bataan chief Col. Palmer Tria and NBI provincial head Nathaniel Ramos joined them.
Garcia aimed to dispel murmurs that Central One was into illegal gambling.
Chaw took them around his operations area but barred newsmen from photographing.
It was the first time Central One opened to local execs. Bagac Mayor Rommel Del Rosario was previously forbidden from entering.
In PAOCC’s raid, only 358 Filipinos and 57 foreigners were at work. They were swiftly processed and sent home. Some employees heckled and bullied the raiders and newsmen.
On Oct. 13, PAOCC arrested 11 Chinese in gold-mining Paracale, Camarines Norte. The aliens had put up a facility to dig uranium without permit.
On Oct. 29, police charged into Ermita, Manila’s 40-story Century Peak Tower, describing it as “mother of all POGO hubs.”
Despite protests by building supervisors, the cops searched the 23rd floor for Vertex Technological Corp., allegedly for crypto- and love-scamming.
Failing to find the firm, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group and National Capital Region Police Office claimed it was a PAOCC operation.
PAOCC, which holds office in Malacañang, denied involvement.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo defended the raid. She said ACG and NCRPO had a court search warrant to enter the offices of Quantum Solution, the new name of Vertex.
It’s unclear why PNP invoked PAOCC’s name.
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