Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday accused former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang's family of belonging to a "large criminal syndicate".
In a statement, she said: "It is now clearer that their family business is a massive criminal enterprise that has been operating in this country for too long, with too many victims."
Michael's brother Tony Yang was arrested last week at Manila International Airport by the Bureau of Immigration, reportedly as the owner of the Philippines Tri-Jia Steel Company, which built a warehouse in Cagayan de Oro in 2018, at the time when the POGO hubs in Banban, Tarlac, and Bongabon, Nueva Ecija were also under construction.
Hontiveros claimed that Tony's arrest would expose his family's ties with POGO and Chinese groups.
Hontiveros stated: "Yang Zhiyuan is wanted in China for financial fraud, and his arrest will pave the way for his connections with offshore gambling companies, just like his brothers Michael and Hongjiang."
When asked for comment, Michael's lawyer Raymond Fortun told GMA News Online: "No comment at this time, as I want to see what her evidence is."
Michael is also charged with contempt of court for failing to attend a hearing on a 3.6 billion peso drug case in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, and thus an arrest warrant was issued by the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs. Michael is also related to this case.
Former presidential adviser Rodrigo Duterte is also suspected of involvement in illegal POGO activities.
Meanwhile, another brother, Hongjiang Yang, is accused of having direct dealings with Baofu Land Development, a company owned by the dismissed mayor of Banban, Alice Guo.
The POGO center inside Baofu compound was raided by authorities last March.
Hontiveros stated that Tony and Hongjiang's involvement in POGOs is no coincidence and noted that the two brothers used "the same corporate strategies" to cover up their illegal activities.
She said: "There are indications that corporate layering and the crimes they implement through these entities might be part of their criminal methods."
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Committee stated that Tony is the leader of the Yang brothers.
The House stated that it is considering inviting Andrew Yang to participate in its series of hearings.
