Chinese engage in creeping invasion of PH via land purchases, says Barbers

Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers. (File photo by NINO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities must check the supposed creeping invasion of the Philippines by the Chinese allegedly through the purchase of land and properties in the country, reportedly using laundered money.

This view came from Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Robert Ace Barbers on Tuesday.

Barbers heads House committee on illegal drugs.

He was expressing concerns on the inability of law enforcers to pinpoint who businessman Willy Ong is.

Ong is said to be the owner of a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga.

The facility was the destination of P3.6 billion worth of shabu that arrived at Subic port in Zambales.

The illegal drugs were delivered in a controlled operation staged by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

Even if Ong had transacted with government offices, authorities still failed to find him.

Barber’s committee had also summoned Ong to a House hearing, but the businessman did not show up.

“Mr. Ong, based on documents we have on hand, has a UMID (Unified Multi-Purpose ID) Card and a driver’s license issued by the Land Transportation Office, and (he) used an address in Nueva Ecija,” the lawmaker pointed out.

“But the NBI and the PNP (Philippine National Police), despite weeks of search, could not locate him in his given address,” Barbers said.

Investigations conducted by the panel showed Ong is from Empire 999 Realty Corporation.

He also owned the land in Mexico, which was previously possessed by former town Mexico town mayor Teddy Tumang’s brother.

According to Barbers, it appears that Ong’s case is not isolated.

The legislator said he has received reports that Chinese posing as locals have been buying properties in the country.

They are reportedly using fake credentials.

“May mga natatanggap tayong reports na hindi lang sa Pampanga merong buying spree nang lupa at properties, ang ibang mga Chinese nationals tulad ni Willy Ong, na umano’y gumamit ng fake credentials,” Barbers told his fellow lawmakers.

(We have received reports that it is not only in Pampanga where there are buying sprees of land and properties of other Chinese like Willy Ong, who reportedly used fake credentials.)

“Kumuha ng government-issued IDs, at nagpa-rehistro ng kanilang mga negosyo sa SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), Department of Trade and Industry at mga local government units, gamit ang kanilang mga bayarang Filipino dummies,” he said.

“They secured government-issued IDs, and registered their businesses with SEC, Department of Trade and Industry and local government units using their paid Filipino dummies.)

“Mangyayari o nangyari na ito sa lugar ng Palawan, Bulacan, Zambales, sa Davao at iba pa,” he noted.

(It will happen or is already happening in areas like Palawan, Bulacan, Zambales, Davao, and others.)

“Baka magising na lang tayo isang umaga at malaman na marami nang lugar sa ating bansa ay nabili at pag-aari na ng mga Chinese nationals,” he said.

(We might wake up one day and learn that many places in our country have been bought and are already owned by the Chinese.)