Quadcom eyes deeper probe on illegal drugs, POGO after Yang arrest

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

FILE: Ex-mayor Alice Guo, suspected accomplice of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, during the public hearing of the House of Representatives quad committee at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Thursday (Sept. 19, 2024). (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – Leaders of the House quad committee (Quadcom) on Friday hailed the arrest of Tony Yang, elder brother of former presidential adviser Michael Yang, saying his capture will push the joint panel to dig deeper into illegal drugs and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the elder Yang is a crucial figure in exposing the criminal network hiding behind legitimate businesses.

“This is a major breakthrough in our fight against illegal drugs and organized crime. Tony Yang’s arrest exposes illicit activities disguised as legitimate businesses,” the overall chair of the Quadcom said.

Yang, a.k.a. Yang Jianxin, was apprehended at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), with assistance from the Bureau of Immigration and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“For too long, these individuals have operated with impunity, using corporate fronts to conceal their illegal operations. This arrest strengthens our commitment to pursuing justice and holding everyone involved in these syndicates accountable, no matter how well-connected they may be,” Barbers said.

Tony Yang’s Philippine Sanjia Steel Corp. has been under scrutiny for its ties to various illegal activities.

He is allegedly involved in drugs smuggling and facilitates illegal POGOs in Cagayan de Oro City as well as in Bamban, Tarlac and in Porac, Pampanga.

Barbers said Tony Yang’s arrest complements the Quadcom’s ongoing efforts to hold accountable his brother, an economic adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Michael Yang is the subject of an arrest order issued by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs after being cited in contempt for repeatedly failing to appear before the panel.

He was linked to a PHP3.6-billion drug bust last year in Mexico, Pampanga, where drugs were seized from a warehouse owned by Empire 999 Realty Corp., a company connected to him.

Michael Yang was identified as a key figure in the congressional investigation into the connections between illegal POGOs, drug trafficking, land grabbing by some Chinese nationals, and extrajudicial killings tied to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

“The capture of Tony Yang strengthens the case against his brother, Michael Yang, who has continuously evaded our summons. We will not stop until we uncover the full scope of their involvement in illegal activities that endanger our people and threaten national security,” Barbers said.

Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, chair of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, said Tony Yang would be critical to exposing the full extent of POGO operations.

“We expect him to cooperate and provide valuable testimony that will help us uncover the intricate web of criminal operations operating under the radar,” he added.

Fernandez also highlighted Tony Yang’s connection to dismissed Bamban mayor Alice Guo.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council is already investigating the transactions.

“The financial links between Tony Yang and Alice Guo are part of a larger conspiracy that we are determined to unravel,” Fernandez said.

He said the matrix they discovered reveals a sophisticated network spanning multiple illegal activities.

“We will not rest until all those involved are held accountable,” Fernandez said.