‘We have been betrayed’: Hontiveros on POGO’s Chinese operations

Senator Risa Hontiveros said that they were betrayed by POGO operations with Chinese agents involving Michael Yang, the economic adviser of the former President during the probe of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO)  on Nov 26.

Hontiveros emphasized that Michael Yang was the ‘key actor’ in POGO operations, “He is involved in Pharmally, and if the reports are accurate, in drug operations here… We have been exploited. We have been betrayed.”

The senator described POGO as a ‘monster’ because of its illegal activities including human trafficking, money laundering, torture, espionage and the recently investigated, spreading of fake news in campaigns.

After conducting a thorough investigation into the identity of She Zhijiang, a self-proclaimed spy, Hontiveros’ team discovered the likelihood of POGO's espionage and propaganda activities in the Philippines.

Yatai Spa located in Newport City, Pasay was named by Hontiveros, revealing the QR Code from the spa which is used as a proof that it was a supposed site for Chinese Communist "propaganda which is associated with She.

“Ito po ang sumambulat… A group called Hongsheng... It also has a video containing a mishmash of anti-US statements and a call to serve the motherland," Hontiveros shared their experience after clicking the QR Code.

According to Hontiveros, this project in mid-2017 involved Ma Dong Li and She Zhijiang, who had worked closely with Beijing since 2016, and it is established that these enterprises were associated with the Communist Party of China.

“Very interestingly, it is a documented fact that state-owned enterprises affiliated with the Communist Party of China were part of Yatai from the start,” Hontiveros added.

According to Raymon Fortun, the legal counsel of Michael Yang, images of persons together is insufficient evidence to determine suspects in POGO probe, saying “Allegation is not proof.”

Hontiveros added that the warrant in China was very strict unless a suspect was handled by a higher-ranking person that may have used them as ‘intelligence assets’ for the party.

She Zhijiang was spared from this warrant as she was able to acquire a  "multiple entry visa issued to foreign nationals employed by enterprises registered under the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA)” around 2016 to 2017.