OSG urged to probe land titles registered to Chinese nationals

MANILA, Philippines — The House Quad Committee requested the Office of Solicitor General (OSG) on Monday, October 21, to initiate its own investigation into the alleged fraudulent land ownership involving Chinese nationals in the country.

As part of their inquiry into the illegal activities of offshore scam hubs, or POGOs, the House joint committee collected several documents concerning land ownership by Chinese nationals in Pampanga and handed these over to the OSG on Monday.

Lawmakers claimed that Chinese nationals acquired Filipino birth certificates from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or local civil registrars to illegally obtain land and set up businesses in the Philippines.

According to Quadcom co-chair Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist), the land identified in Pampanga comprises thousands of hectares, largely controlled by Chinese-owned firms.

Two key personalities mentioned are Chinese nationals Aedy Tai Yang and Willie Ong, who were implicated in questionable land sales with the local government of Mexico, Pampanga.

Documents submitted to the OSG include the incorporation documents and financial statements of Sunflare Industrial Supply Corp. and Empire 999 Realty Corporation, two companies mostly owned by Chinese nationals involved in property sales.

Yang's birth certificate, marriage certificate and tax declarations were also included in the submission.

Paduano suspects a connection between Yang and dismissed Mexico, Pampanga Mayor Teddy Tumang who was involved in anomalous procurement activities during his tenure as mayor. 

Meanwhile, Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd District), the joint committee's lead chairperson, also noted that Empire 999 incorporator Ong has 300 land titles in his name.

“They (Chinese nationals) possess fraudulent documents saying that they are all Filipinos. There is a presumption of irregularity in acquiring these properties,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Barbers revealed that some Chinese nationals are allegedly employing Filipino-Chinese citizens as legal fronts for their businesses. 

Unconstitutional ownership. He cited the 1987 Philippine Constitution which limits