In a compelling interpellation on Tuesday, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros strongly opposed the granting of Filipino citizenship to Li Duan Wang, also known as Mark Ong, due to his alleged connections to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and dubious personal records. Hontiveros presented compelling evidence during the session, including photos of Wang with Duanren Wu, a fugitive and suspected POGO mastermind in Porac, Pampanga, at a casino launch in Clark, Pampanga.
Hontiveros criticized Wang’s association with Wu, stating, ‘It should not inspire confidence in us senators that Wang is an associate of a fugitive and a POGO boss embroiled in human trafficking.’ She further revealed Wang’s role as the operator of the 9 Dynasty junket group, which shares officers with Rivendell, a POGO operation in Pasay linked to illegal activities. Wang’s failure to disclose these connections in his naturalization application was highlighted by Hontiveros, who questioned the motives behind the omission.
Additionally, Hontiveros pointed out Wang’s misrepresentation as a Filipino citizen in official documents for Avia International Club, stating, ‘You cannot be a Filipino citizen while applying to be one. Both facts cannot be true at the same time. This clear lie already suggests bad faith on the part of the applicant.’ She also raised concerns about Wang’s possession of multiple taxpayer identification numbers (TINs), some of which were canceled or inconsistently used across different entities, including JuanCare and Avia International Club. Hontiveros warned that intentional misuse of TINs could lead to legal charges.
Lastly, Hontiveros expressed worries about Wang’s affiliations with the Philippine Jinjiang Yuxi Association, which she described as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front work. She questioned Wang’s potential loyalties if granted Filipino citizenship, emphasizing the importance of national security and integrity in the citizenship process.