House Quad communications link Michael Yang and Allan Lim to a crime syndicate

MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers uncovered an alleged deep-rooted crime syndicate allegedly led by President Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential aide Michael Yang and his associate Allan Lim during the House Quad Committee hearing on Friday.

The alleged illegal activities range from drug trafficking and money laundering to the operation of illegal Philippine offshore gambling operators (Pogos) with the alleged collaboration of corrupt government officials.

During the said hearing, Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. and Deputy Speaker David Suarez presented a “matrix” showing how Yang and Lim, along with Chinese nationals, allegedly led a complex criminal network.

“These Chinese nationals are setting up businesses across the country and exploiting our laws by committing and promoting illegal activities, to the great detriment of our country and the Filipino people,” Gonzales said.

“Mukhang may natisod po kami,” Suarez said.

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(It looks like we’re onto something.)

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“Mukhang can compare the cast of characters. A criminal enterprise has invaded us and is operating “quietly and with impunity” – and from these operations, eh inuubos at nagkaka-monopoly na po ata, to crimes that violate the most basic of human rights – human trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution, murder I “love scams, crypto scams and many other cyber scams,” said Suárez.

(There seems to be a connection, and the cast of characters is the same. A criminal enterprise has invaded us and operated with “quiet impunity” – and from these operations it appears that they monopolize crimes that attack the very basic rights – Human trafficking, kidnapping, prostitution, murder, romance fraud, crypto fraud and all types of cyber fraud.)

In his presentation, Suarez alleged that Yang and Lim used legitimate companies as a cover for their criminal activities.

He added that DCLA Plaza, a mall in Davao, is believed to serve as a hub for Yang’s alleged drug distribution network.

Suarez further said the duo “layered” their corporate activities and used various companies to hide their illegal activities – all while expanding their criminal activities into the pogo industry.

“We did not recognize the pattern but rather stripped it of its layers to get to the top and through all of this we discovered and identified at least two key players or players in the question of illegality related to drugs and illegal activities with pogos,” Suarez said.

(Seeing the pattern, we tracked these companies, removing them from their shifts to get to the top, and in the process discovered and identified at least two key actors or players involved in the issue of illegal drugs and illegal activities associated with Pogos .)

One of these companies is Brickhartz Technology Inc., which is suspected of being involved in several kidnapping cases and linked to Pogo company Xionwei Technology Co. Ltd. which is said to be linked to Lim.

The lawmaker found that both Brickhartz and Xionwei were linked to the Baofu compound in Bamban, Tarlac.

The Quad committee also found connections between Yang and Lim and Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.

Therefore, Suarez warned that the suspected crime syndicate has already expanded its reach into the country’s national security and sovereignty.

“Of course, what happened was that a group of individuals posed as Filipinos by submitting birth certificates and government IDs, which was important to the Filipino family,” Suarez said.

(It started with the accumulation of various companies or individuals, foreigners pretending to be Filipinos by forging birth certificates and other government IDs and taking over our land that was supposed to be reserved only for Filipinos.)

“This is a serious threat to our national security and our sovereignty as a nation,” he stressed.