Ipinaaaresto ng House Committee on Dangerous Drugs ang limang Chinese realty trader na nabigo umanong dumalo sa imbestigasyon kaugnay ng P3.6 bilyong halaga ng shabu na nasamsam sa isang warehouse sa Mexico, Pampanga noong nakaraang taon.
Ayon kay Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairperson ng komite, si Willie Ong, na mayroong Chinese name na Cai Qimeng, at co-owner ng Empire 999 Realty Corporation at kaniyang mga kasama na sina Aedy T. Yang, Elaine Chua, Michelle S. Sy at Jack T. Yang ay na-cite for contempt.
“This committee has been very patient with you but we have certain limitations. Those who were issued subpoenas yet still failed to attend are now being cited in contempt. The necessary warrants will be issued for their arrests in accordance with the Rules of the House,” sabi ni Barbers.
“Others not yet cited in contempt are given this last warning. If in the next hearing you will still be absent, we have no choice but to cite you in contempt,” dagdag pa nito.
Batay sa rekord ng Land Registration Authority (LRA), sinabi ni Barbers na ang Empire 999 ay nakabili ng hindi bababa sa 320 lupa na nagkakahalaga ng bilyon-bilyon sa Central Luzon, Metro Manila at iba pang bahagi ng bansa.
“Napakahiwaga ng kumpanya na ito ni Willie Ong. Walang bank records o money trail sa kanilang mga transaksyon. Pati ang pagtatayo ng kanilang mga buildings at mga warehouses ay di ma-trace kung saan galing ang ginamit na pera. Malamang laundered money at cash basis ang ginawa nila sa kanilang mga transaksyon,” sabi ni Barbers.
Dahil pinagbabawalan ang mga dayuhan na mag-may-ari ng lupa, sinabi ni Barbers na gumamit si Ong ng pekeng dokumento gaya ng birth certificate at pasaporte.
“They were also found to have close ties with certain local government officials who facilitated the transactions and granted the permits they needed to construct buildings, warehouses, and other facilities in their illegally acquired lands,” dagdag pa nito.
Batay sa datos ng Philippine Statistics Authority, nakakuha si Ong ng birth certificate gamit ang late registration scheme.
Ayon kay Barbers, pinoproseso na ng Department of Foreign Affairs ang pagkansela sa pasaporte ni Ong.
BECCA DANTES – NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
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