Then-President Rodrigo Duterte, accompanied by businessman Michael Yang (2nd from right) and members of his delegation and Chinese officials, in Beijing, China on October 19, 2016. Toto Lozano, Malacanang Photo/File

MANILA — Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Wednesday said former Duterte economic adviser Michael Yang's possible involvement in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators should not be used to drag former President Rodrigo Duterte into the controversy.

During the hearings of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Yang could be connected to illegal POGOs citing Anti-Money Laundering Council findings that the businessman's alleged brother Hongjiang Yang had transactions with Bamban, Tarlac firm Baofu Land Development, Inc. 

Suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo is a former incorporator of Baofu, the POGO hub that authorities raided for reported human traffiicking and abuse earlier this year .

Yang is also allegedly connected to an incorporator of the illegal POGO Brickhartz.

READ: Former Duterte adviser Michael Yang slams Congress, denies hand in POGOs

Hontiveros said the alleged connections would prompt the panel to investigate whether Duterte and his former adviser Yang have links to illicit POGOs.

'MERE ASSOCIATION'

Dela Rosa said in a press conference on Wednesday,  however, "I don’t think they can implicate [Duterte]. If they have evidence gawin nila but I don’t think so na ma-implicate nila by mere association."

(If they have evidence, show it, but I don’t think he can be implicated by mere association.)

"Kung may ginawang illegal si Yang, I don’t think i-condone ni [Duterte]. Kami may instructions na kapag may ilegal, trabahuhin mo…So far wala naman ako nakita sa Davao," he added.

(I don’t think Duterte will condone Yang if he did anything illegal. We have instructions to go after illegal activities. So far, I have not seen anything like that in Davao.) 

READ: 'One big, happy Pharmally': Hontiveros links Michael Yang's brother to raided POGO

ALICE GUO'S LOCATION, POGO BAN

Dela Rosa said the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms should coordinate with the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation to find Guo, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from the Senate for contempt.

"Pantay lang treatment sa lahat. Hinahanap natin nang husto si (Pastor Apollo) Quiboloy, hanapin din natin nang husto si Alice Guo," he said.

(The treatment should be the same. We are searching thoroughly for Quiboloy, we should also thoroughly look for Alice Guo.)

He also said that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. cannot be forced to ban POGOs although he conceded this should be done.

"It’s his call kung gusto niya talaga. Ang stand ko dati bigyan ng grace period ‘yung kanilang scaling down ng operations pero ngayon puwede na right away kung gugustuhin ng Malacañang," Dela Rosa said.

(It’s his call if he really wants to. My stand before was to give them a grace period in scaling down operations but now we can ban them right away if Malacañang so orders.)

Dela Rosa believes the POGO problem has worsened since his Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs investigated it years back, when the problem was just mere criminality, (which) boils down to public order."

He said that the POGOs have by now become a national security issue.

FAKE BIRTH CERTIFICATES

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa is convinced that money was involved in the issuance of around 200 fake birth certificates to foreigners in his hometown of Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur.

READ: Chinese national with fake birth certificate caught applying for PH passport in Davao City

"Ganun kadami walang monetary consideration doon? Alam mong di Pilipino bibigyan mo birth certificate? Nobody will believe you."

(There’s no monetary consideration in that many transactions?  You know the person is not Filipino but you will still give him a birth certificate? Nobody will believe you.)

READ: PSA cooperating with NBI on issue of falsified birth certificates

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