‘Time of reckoning has come’: Quad-comm confident with findings, recommendations

Manila Bulletin

The co-chairmen of the House quad-committee (quad-comm) have expressed great confidence in its findings and subsequent recommendations to government agencies after tackling in depth the interconnected issues of extrajudicial killings (EJKs), illegal drugs, and illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/19/time-of-reckoning-has-come-quad-comm-confident-with-findings-recommendations  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Gusto ko lang pong sabihin unang-una, Mr. Speaker, the time of reckoning has come.

00:10Nagalagay po sa Matthew chapter 7 and verse number 2,

00:17For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.

00:24And with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you again.

00:32Kung iniisip po natin, na magagawa mo ang gusto mong gawin,

00:38na hindi mo sinusunod ang saligang batas,

00:42dahil nasa kapangyarihan ka.

00:45Dahil kung sabihin, Mr. Speaker, na matatapos din ang mga bagay na iyan,

00:51atikaw ay ahatulan ng taong bayan.

00:56Ito pong House of Representatives ay ang bahay po ng taong bayan,

01:03sabagat tayong lahat ay inelect ng taong bayan upang tayo ay magbusisi

01:12ng lahat ng katiwalaan nangyayari sa ating pamahalahan.

01:18I consider this a divine blessing to be able to rise today

01:24as the chair of the House Committee on Human Rights

01:29and co-chair of the Quad Committee

01:33to share the initial findings and recommendations of our inquiry,

01:39particularly into the extrajudicial killings

01:44that occurred during the previous administration's war on drugs.

01:51Kinaulit ko po, Mr. Speaker,

01:54kakampi ako ng dating administrasyon kapag binag-usapan po

02:01ang pag-alis ng droga sa ating bansa.

02:05Sinabi ko po ito sa ating dating Pangulo.

02:09Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan

02:11kung bakit kinakailangan merong mapatay

02:14na more than 30,000 people upang walaan drugs ito.

02:19Nawala pa ang drugs? Hindi.

02:22Nandun pa rin, Mr. Speaker.

02:25Indeed, there is a season for everything

02:30and a time for every purpose under the heaven

02:34as made clear by the Lord in Chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes.

02:41This is the most opportune time for the Joint Committee on Dangerous Drugs,

02:46Public Order and Safety, Public Accounts,

02:50and the Committee on Human Rights

02:52to present to you a progress report on our inquiry in aid of legislation.

02:58After 13 rigorous and thorough hearings of the so-called Quad Committee,

03:06we are confident that we have gathered substantial findings

03:12backed by competent evidence

03:15to make the requisite recommendations to this legislative body

03:20and to the appropriate government agencies

03:23for appropriate and decisive action.

03:27There was systematic violation of human rights

03:34and blatant disregard of due process.

03:39The deep probe into the exegetical killings, or AGKs,

03:44that occurred during the administration of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's war on drugs

03:53yielded a far deeper tragedy into the lives of the Filipino people

04:00rather than the protection and preservation thereof that it was heralded to accomplish.

04:08The numbers, Mr. Speaker and my dear colleagues, speak the scary truth.

04:16According to data from the Philippine National Police from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2022,

04:257,640 individuals were killed in official police operations.

04:33Of these documented deaths, 7,173 were drug pushers,

04:40440 were drug users that should have been rehabilitated, not killed,

04:48and only 21 were drug lords.

04:52Mr. Speaker, from as far back as May 15, 2024,

04:59when my committee started digging into the EJ case,

05:04we had been presented with multiple reports indicating

05:09that there had been massive nationwide drug-related killings

05:15within the period July 2016 to June 2022.

05:20The killings were classified either as police operations

05:25or perpetrated by unknown perpetrators,

05:29which is no different from the Sinaloa type of killings in Latin America,

05:36which were notorious at the time, the drug cartel in Latin America.

05:44The 2017 Year-End Accomplishment Report of the Authority Administration

05:49highlighted as key accomplishments, my dear Speaker,

05:56the deaths of 3,967 drug personalities

06:03and 16,355 homicide cases under investigation

06:10as of 30 September 2017.

06:14It is my honor to present, together with my co-chairs of the Joint Committee

06:19comprising the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety,

06:23Human Rights and Public Accounts, also known as the QUADCOM.

06:28This progress report outlining the facts established, evidence gathered,

06:33actions taken, and recommendations for remedial legislation

06:37concerning extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs,

06:42illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators,

06:46and anomalous transactions involving local government units

06:49in connection with these unlawful activities.

06:53To date, the Joint Committee has conducted 13 public hearings

06:57and has obtained numerous testimonies of witnesses

07:01and documentary evidence in the course of its inquiry.

07:05Mr. Speaker, the Joint Committee has identified compelling evidence

07:10that necessitates prompt and decisive legal action

07:14by the appropriate government agencies,

07:17as well as urgent legislative intervention to enact laws and policies

07:22that will effectively address these critical issues.

07:26With respect to POGOS, the Joint Committee found a discernible pattern

07:31regarding their creation and operation.

07:34It starts with foreign nationals using fake documents

07:38to acquire Filipino identities,

07:41followed by land acquisition to establish POGO facilities.

07:46The construction of several buildings worth billions of pesos,

07:51the execution of lease agreements between two corporations

07:55with interlocking ownerships,

07:57followed by the application for POGO license

08:00with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

08:03This was also established that criminal syndicates

08:08composed of Chinese nationals pretending to be Filipino citizens

08:12operate within the country and are responsible for various criminal activities

08:17facilitated through POGOS, including human trafficking,

08:21internet scams, and money laundering.

08:24Some of these Chinese nationals have links to the drug trade.

08:28These POGO companies include Hongsheng Gaming Technology

08:33in the Baofu compound in Bamban,

08:36where facilitated by Guo Huaping,

08:40also known as the former Bamban mayor, Alice Guo.

08:44Locky South 99, situated in the Whirlwind Corporation,

08:49leased property in Porak, Pampanga,

08:52identified with Catherine Cassandra Leong

08:56and Atorney Herminio Harry Roque Jr.

09:00Also included is Sean Wei Technology, owned by Alan Lim,

09:05also known as Wei Xiong Lim,

09:08together with his wife, Rose Nonolin.

09:12The findings of the joint committee have led to the filing of cases

09:17against Guo Huaping, Catherine Cassandra Leong,

09:22and Atorney Harry Roque and several other Chinese and Filipino

09:26incorporators of POGO companies for qualified human trafficking.

09:31Money laundering cases have also been lodged against them.

09:35Aside from Guo, Ong, and Roque,

09:39the joint committee recommends that criminal investigations be commenced

09:45to look into the involvement of other key personalities,

09:49such as Hong Ming Yang, also known as Michael Yang,

09:54his elder brother Yang Jianxin, also known as Tony Yang,

10:01and spouses Alan Lim and Rose Nonolin,

10:05into illegal POGO activities.

10:08As a result of the joint hearings,

10:11the Anti-Money Laundering Council was directed to apply with the court

10:17for the issuance of a peace order covering the assets

10:21related to the unlawful activities of Lucky South 99,

10:25Whirlwind Corporation, and Biancham Holdings.

10:29Furthermore, as a result of the findings into the illegal activities of POGOs,

10:35this representation and fellow members of the joint committee

10:40filed House Bill No. 10987

10:44or the proposed Anti-Offshore Gaming Operations Act.

10:48The bill seeks to establish ironclad provisions

10:53against the resurgence of POGOs in the country

10:57and repeals two laws related to offshore gaming.

11:03No matter how hard we try,

11:06the truth will always be revealed

11:10as to what is behind the operation of this gambling

11:14that is destroying the order and image of our country.

11:20The lives of our fellow countrymen

11:27and the lives of POGO abusers

11:33are being destroyed by the spirit of hell.

11:37Direct and indirect participation in the operation of POGO must pay the price.

11:44We cannot forget the past and move forward.

11:50We hope that the Executive Department, Mr. Speaker,

11:54through our President, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos,

11:58will give justice to the families of the innocent people

12:02who are all victimized by these greedy crooks

12:05whose sole objective was to enrich themselves with POGO money.

12:10Mr. Speaker, at the outset,

12:13I would like to express my gratitude to the leadership

12:17for allowing me to be a part of this endeavor

12:22which I believe will greatly contribute to the nation.

12:28It is truly a great privilege to serve the country.

12:33The Joint Committee has conducted 13 public hearings

12:39and has obtained numerous testimonies of witnesses

12:44and documentary evidence in the course of its inquiry.

12:49After a thorough review of the pertinent information within each possession,

12:57the Joint Committee has identified compelling evidence

13:03that necessitates prompt and decisive legal action.

13:09On the part of the Committee on Public Accounts,

13:14this began with its investigation into the anomalous property transactions

13:20in Mexico's Pampanga,

13:23particularly those involving former Mayor Teddy Tumang

13:30and his assistant, Mr. Roy Gomez.

13:36It is now still at large

13:39because of the contempt order coming from my committee.

13:43The name of a certain Eddie Tayang surfaced

13:48who sold land to the municipality of Mexico, Pampanga,

13:52at artificially inflated prices.

13:57In collusion with local officials,

14:01Mr. Tayang purchased agricultural land,

14:04then had it reclassified as commercial industrial

14:10to increase its value,

14:13despite lacking the necessary legal requirements.

14:17To give you an idea, Mr. Speaker,

14:20the parcel measures 10,000 square meters

14:25as the lot was classified as agricultural.

14:29At the time Mr. Tayang's acquisition,

14:33its price per square meter was approximately 300 pesos,

14:40consistent with the prevailing rates for agricultural land in the area.

14:46With the lot reclassified as industrial,

14:49Mr. Tayang sold it to the municipality

14:55for 29,500,000 pesos or 2,700 pesos per square meter.

15:03This is why we investigated this issue

15:08and discovered that this has long been a modus operandi

15:13within agricultural lands are classified without following the proper process.

15:19Mr. Speaker, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

15:23As we have received numerous reports of similar cases happening across the country,

15:29the tactic involves falsifying Filipino citizenship

15:33to purchase land and establish businesses with these individuals,

15:39holding influence over certain local politicians

15:43who have sold their integrity to these illegal Chinese nationals.

15:51Because of the aforementioned findings,

15:53the Joint Committee came up with several remedial legislation

15:57to address the issues,

15:59namely House Bill 11043 and House Bill 11117,

16:06as mentioned by Chairman Ace Barber.

16:10These bills are vital in addressing the growing threat

16:16posed by influx of foreign nationals involved in illegal activities,

16:21including those connected to the pogo industry and other forms of corruption.

16:28Through these legislative measures,

16:31we intend to strengthen our national security,

16:35uphold the integrity of our citizenship laws,

16:39and protect the Filipino people and our land

16:44from unlawful foreign influence.

16:48In conclusion, Mr. Speaker,

16:50I urge the members of this esteemed body to fully support these measures

16:56as they offer essential steps towards securing our national sovereignty,

17:03protecting our land and resources,

17:05and ensuring the integrity of our citizenship laws.

17:09By enacting these measures,

17:11we take a strong stand against exploitation of our citizens

17:16by foreign nationals and criminals,

17:19and we create lasting solutions to safeguard the interests of the Filipino people.

17:25Let us work together to protect our sovereignty,

17:30uphold justice, and strengthen the rule of law

17:35for the benefit of the future generations.

17:39Before I end, Mr. Speaker,

17:42once again, let me stress,

17:45for Chairman Barber and myself,

17:49we are not running anymore in this forthcoming election.

17:56What is this for us?

17:59This is all about the love of the country,

18:03to protect the future generations.

18:07That is why we are calling for a continuous Quad Goal,

18:11a continuous fight.

18:12Thank you very much.

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