Government eyes land owned by Chinese drug lords

MANILA, Philippines — The government is open to going after billions of pesos worth of privately owned lands acquired by alleged Chinese drug dealers, who reportedly went on a buying spree of real estate properties possibly in hopes of penetrating the country amid the maritime dispute with China.

“There has to be a court order. However, we commit right now that we will monitor the properties,” Salvalente Elizalde, chief of the legal division of the Land Registration Authority (LRA), told officials and members of the committee on dangerous drugs of the House of Representatives. 

This was the response he made to the queries of Reps. Romeo Acop (Antipolo), Dan Fernandez (Laguna) and Joseph Paduano (Abang-Lingkod party-list) when asked about the process, or at least how can the government go after these properties now owned by Chinese nationals. 

Elizalde told the panel, headed by Surigao del Norte second district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, that the LRA would endorse to the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) an adverse claim to be filed in court for the forfeiture of Willie Ong and associates’ properties.  

If Ong and company managed to buy public lands, a reversion proceeding could be initiated by the LRA and the OSG, which will act as the counsel of the national government in the proceedings. 

It is a manner through which the government seeks to revert land to the public domain and is the proper remedy when public land is fraudulently awarded and disposed of in favor of private individuals or corporations. 

Barbers stressed that the general public should be aware that these were questionable properties. 

“These acquired properties are questionable. We also have to protect those to whom these properties were sold. We also want to know how were they (Chinese) able to buy these properties, how big are they? Were payments in cash? Through the banks? Or laundered money?” he asked. 

In the course of the Barbers panel drug probe, it turned out that huge land acquisitions were made in Mexico, San Fernando; and Angeles City in Pampanga; Nueva Ecija, Cabanatuan City, Aurora province, Bulacan, Cavite, Tagaytay, Iloilo; Lingayen, Pangasinan; Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Rizal, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Makati, Malabon, Parañaque, Manila, Davao del Norte, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat and Tabuk, Kalinga, and Apayao. 

Based on LRA data, the firm Empire 999 has acquired 41 titled land holdings: Ong with 59; Aedi Tai Yang with 11; Jack Tai Yang, 15; Michelle Santos Sy, 72; Elain Chua 75; Albert Valdez Sy, 22; Na Wang, 1; Ana Ong, 10; Ana Ang, 5; Cai Quimeng (Chinese name of Willie Ong), 6; and James Valdez, 3. 

All were found to be linked to the various interlocking companies created by another suspected Chinese drug lord, Michael Yang, who was appointed by former president Rodrigo Duterte as presidential economic adviser during his term.

Yang, who had been summoned but failed to appear at last week’s hearing, had been identified by former anti-drug law enforcement officer police colonel Eduardo Acierto and whistle blower Arturo Lascañas as a drug kingpin based in Davao City.

DFA concerned over China detention rule

The Philippines yesterday expressed serious concern over China’s new Coast Guard regulations, as Manila warned Beijing it would be in direct violation of international law if it enforces the regulations in the waters and maritime features of the illegal 10-dash line that would cover areas in the West Philippine Sea.

China issued new rules that would enforce a 2021 law explicitly allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expresses serious concern on China’s issuance of its ‘Regulations on Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures for Coast Guard Agencies,’”the DFA said in a statement.

The regulation was approved and announced on May 15, and is supposed to take effect on June 15, 2024.

The DFA said every sovereign state has the right to formulate and enact laws, including the enforcement of domestic legislation within its jurisdiction.

“However, a state’s domestic laws may not be applied and enforced in the territory, maritime zones or jurisdiction of other states, nor violate other sovereign states’ rights and entitlements under international law. These same domestic laws cannot be applied nor enforced in the high seas under international law,” the DFA said.

The DFA said that the regulations are issued on the basis of the 2021 Coast Guard law which also illegally expanded the maritime law enforcement powers of China’s Coast Guard.

“China would be in direct violation of international law should it enforce these new regulations in the waters and maritime features within the illegal, null and void, and expansive 10-dash line, which would effectively cover areas of the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, or in the high seas,” the DFA said.

The DFA emphasized that China must ensure that its relevant legislation clearly reflect and abide by its commitments and obligations under international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea, and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

“We reiterate our call for China to comply with international law and desist from any action that would undermine peace and security in the region,” the DFA said. — Pia Lee-Brago