16 Chinese, 1 Filipino facing money-laundering charges

CEBU, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will be filing a separate anti-money laundering case against the 17 individuals who were earlier charged with qualified trafficking in person in relation to the raid of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City earlier this month.

In a press conference yesterday, NBI-7 regional director Rennan Augustus Oliva said that they will be asking the court to allow or permit them to open the four vaults seized during the raid last Aug. 31, 2024 at the Tourist Garden Hotel, as well as open the contents of the computers confiscated.

On September 04, 2024, two search warrants were issued by Executive Judge Joseph Stephen Ygnacio of Branch 67, that resulted in the seizure and confiscations of several computer systems, mobile phones, gadgets, SIM cards, and scripts used in the scamming activities, cash proceeds from the alleged illegal operation, and documents, such as logbooks, official receipts, and other book of accounts pertaining to the alleged POGO activities.

Yesterday, Judge Ygnacio, together with other court staff, led the inspection of the seized items.

“These items inventoried by the court and will be subject to further investigation, like we will be applying for a warrant for the disclosure of the computer data, as well as will be asking permission from the court so that the vaults will be open because there were vaults from the hotel that we seized. So that any contents thereof can be used as evidence in the anti-money laundering case we are going to file per instruction of our Director Jaime Santiago,” Oliva said.

Oliva disclosed that they initially seized P8.2 million, which will be primarily used as evidence in the filing of the anti-money laundering case.

“Whatever we will get from the vaults, when we will open it with the court’s permission we will used it in the furtherence in the filing of case,” Oliva said.

Further, Regional State Prosecutor Graeme June Elmido said those initially charged with seven counts of qualified trafficking in person will probably be the same people that will be facing the anti-money laundering case.

The 16 individuals charged for qualified trafficking in persons are Zhao, Shao Qi alias “Lao Fan”; Zhao, Long alias “Xiao Long”; Yang, Teng Da; Ke, Rong Mou alias “Jordan” “Lang Mao” “Yuki”; Ji, Hui alias “Xiao Xi”; Hu, Yonghong; Dai, Chun Lin; and Zhong, Donglin alias “Edison” “Xiao Hei”; Luo, Peng alias “Alang”; Ma, Yi; Shen, Wen Xia alias “Xi Xi”; Zhuang, Jian Guo alias “Wang Fang”; and Wen, Qi Zhen. All are of legal age and are Chinese nationals.

Also included are Indonesian nationals Lona, Halim alias “Grace” and Joni alias “Gio”, and Myanmar national San, Thwe Thwe.

In addition, Zandrew Magdaluyo Cantarona, the lone Filipino respondent, was also included and indicted as an accessory to the offense.

Elmido added that he will be forming a team of prosecutors to focus on the qualified trafficking in person cases.

“I am already forming a team to prosecute this case just in case pananglitan ang usa ka prosector dili available, naa lang dayon mopuli. Para modagan gyud ang kaso, diridiretso,” Elmido said.

All the 17 accused are still in the custody of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) at the National Capital Region.

Elmido said he has no idea yet whether the court will allow virtual arraignments or whether all the accused will physically come to Cebu for their arraignment, which has no schedule yet.

“Depende na gyud na sa court kung paanhinoon ba na niya ang mga akusado during arraignment or anhi na ba na sila i-detain, which is mas maayo. Pero wa pa ta kabalo unsay decision sa court,” Elmido added.

Oliva added that aside from filing the anti-money laundering case, they will strengthen the case they have filed of qualified trafficking in persons by additional witnesses.

“We are set to get the statement of our witnesses now at the custody of PAOCC, as well as witnesses who are here under the witness protection program,” said Oliva.

Oliva added that they have already coordinated with the Register of Deeds, the City Assessor’s Office of Lapu-Lapu, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to determine the companies operating inside the Tourist Garden Hotel.

Five companies were reportedly operating inside the hotel, which Oliva said they will individually look into to determine the incorporators based on the documents and certification coming from the concerned government agencies.

He added that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), who now has a task force to determine if there are local officials or local police involved in the illegal POGO operation, already coordinated with them last Friday.

“Last Friday, they went to our Cebu District Office to inquire about the said rescue operation. So, I am not at liberty to disclose yet what has transpired because they are still conducting their own investigation and we will be respecting their own investigation,” he said.

Oliva, however, said that they will assist the DILG Task Force in any way they can. — (FREEMAN)