Senators Defend Granting Philippine Citizenship to Chinese National Linked to POGO “Big Boss”
Senators defended their decision yesterday to grant Philippine citizenship to a Chinese national, Li Duan Wang, who is linked to offshore gaming “big boss” Duanren Wu.
Last Monday, 19 senators voted in favor of granting naturalization to Li Duan Wang, whom Senator Risa Hontiveros identified as a major operator of the 9 Dynasty junket group.
Hontiveros revealed that the 9 Dynasty Group shares a corporate structure with Rivendell Gaming Corp., which owns a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) scam hub in Pasay City that was raided in August 2023.
She also pointed out that Li’s Avia International Club shared the same building in Newport, Pasay City, with Yatai Spa, which has connections to Yatai International Holding Group, owned by She Zhijiang, a self-confessed Chinese spy. Yatai means “Asia Pacific.”
She Zhijiang, a wanted gambling tycoon now detained in Thailand, has linked dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo to Chinese espionage activities.
Hontiveros further highlighted that Li is a business associate of Duanren Wu, the so-called “big boss” of POGOs and a board member of Whirlwind Corp., the company that leased land to Lucky South 99, the raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.
Hontiveros also mentioned Li’s affiliation with the Philippine Jinjiang Yuxi Association, which she claimed is part of the “United Front” activities of the Communist Party of China.
“In his application for naturalization, Li did not even disclose that he is the operator of the 9 Dynasty junket group, which shares officers with Rivendell, an illegal POGO scam hub in Pasay. It raises eyebrows and raises red flags about his application,” said Hontiveros, the only senator who voted against Li’s citizenship.
Senator Escudero responded, “We respect her vote. But the majority decides on the passage of a bill. That is democracy,” during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Senator Gatchalian stated that he personally reviewed Li’s application documents and found no evidence connecting him to illegal POGO activities. Gatchalian, along with Hontiveros, was actively involved in Senate investigations related to POGO-related crimes.
The Senate justice committee, which handled Li’s application, reached out to the National Security Council and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency to inquire about Wang and found no criminal record associated with him.
“I went through his documents twice. I did not see anything non-compliant with his requirements for citizenship. The Senate committee did not find any direct links of Li to POGO,” said Gatchalian at a virtual press briefing yesterday.
Senator Ejercito shared that he spoke with Gilbert Cruz, executive director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, about Li and learned that the Filipino-Chinese businessman had been living in the Philippines for quite some time under the name Mark Ong.