Pampanga village exec grilled about ‘junk shop’ with ‘luxury buildings’

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers shows footage taken from inside the Infinity 8 compound, which the Lagundi barangay chief claims to be a junk shop. SCREENSHOT FROM PTV YOUTUBE PAGE

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers have scolded a village chief of Mexico town, Pampanga, for allegedly covering for a businessman who erected “luxury” buildings for a junk shop.

During Wednesday’s hearing of the House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez called out Alfredo David, the village head of Barangay Lagundi in Mexico, for insisting that a ten-hectare compound owned by Infinity 8 Trading and Corporation was meant for a junk shop.

David said that Infinity 8 Trading and Corporation is owned by a certain Alex Go Ong.

The village chief maintained that the compound was intended as a junk shop, even as Mexico Mayor Rodencio Gonzales said he could see “luxury buildings” in it — even likening it to a five-star hotel.

“At first we were only able to access one office, then yesterday we had a joint ocular inspection together with the provincial government and the municipality. We were able to access the luxury building,” Gonzales said. “May mga luxury building […] it looks like a five-star hotel.”

“But that’s a junk shop?” Fernandez asked.  “Captain (David), is this true that there are luxury buildings?  Is that true, yes or no?  You’re under oath ah, please answer rightfully.  Are there luxury buildings as what the mayor said?  If the mayor is telling lies, we will cite him for contempt.  But if you are lying, we would have you cited for contempt.”

“Wala po (There is none),” David replied.

But committee chairperson and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said they have video footage taken from inside the Infinity 8 compound, which was played during the hearing.  David however maintained that it is a junk shop because junk items were delivered to the area.

However, the video revealed that at least three five-story buildings were fashionably built, confirming Mayor Gonzales’s testimony and leading Fernandez to lash out at David.

“Walang kadumi-dumi ah (It’s so clean).  Mr. Chairman, I think this resource speaker is lying [through] his teeth, and in accordance with what we have seen, this is true,” Fernandez said.

“You know you are under oath, and we don’t want this to be a practice of all the resource speakers that we are inviting.  We have to set the rules on this committee for us to ferret the truth of the issues that we are investigating.  You are interfering eh, you are tricking us,” he added.

The Laguna lawmaker even went as far as accusing David of hiding something, warning the village chief again that he could be cited for contempt for lying.

“You have to tell us the truth of why you did not initially allow the mayor to enter the premises.  You are hiding something, what is happening inside?  Better tell us and spare yourself from whatever problem was happening inside,” Fernandez warned.

“Otherwise I’m telling you, may kalalagyan ka mamaya, Chairman (you will face your fate later),” he added.

The hearings of the House panel were originally about the illegal drugs tracked down by authorities from the Port of Subic in Zambales, to a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga.

READ: P3.6-B worth of shabu seized in Pampanga warehouse

After it was eventually revealed that the warehouse was owned by Empire 999 Realty Corporation, controlled by a certain Willie Ong, the committee dug deeper and found ties to Lincoln Ong, who was also involved in the Pharmally issue.

READ: Gov’t to seize 320 properties worth billions from Chinese drug lords

Barbers also revealed that despite Willie Ong’s questionable background — having used a fake Filipino identity — he was still able to amass 320 properties.

READ: Owner of warehouse storing drugs used fake identity, says Barbers 

Barbers during the hearing also asked if there were Philippine offshore gaming operations (Pogos) inside the other compounds linked to Ong, considering that recent raids against gaming operations happened in Central Luzon — one in Porac, and another in Bamban, Tarlac.