Senator Risa Hontiveros stated that the arrest of Tony Yang further reveals the "deep connections" between the Yang family and the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) as well as Chinese criminal groups.
"They have been exposed, no more denials," Hontiveros said in a statement on Monday, "Tony Yang, wanted in China for financial fraud, his arrest will help reveal his ties with POGOs—just like his brothers Michael Yang and Hongjiang Yang."
Hontiveros also noted that the Yang family's business is actually a large criminal group that has been operating in the Philippines for a long time, with many victims. She made these remarks while visiting Cagayan de Oro City, which hosts a POGO operation associated with Tony Yang.
According to Hontiveros, Hongjiang Yang had directly dealt with Baofu Land Development, Inc., which operates two POGOs—Hongsheng and Zunyuan—related to the ousted Mayor Alice Guo of Banban City.
Hontiveros emphasized that the POGO connection between Tony Yang and Hongjiang Yang is no coincidence, indicating that the criminal activities conducted by the Yang brothers through these entities might be part of their operational pattern.
