Another storm in the Philippine political and business circles! Tony Yang (Antonio Lim), the notorious Chinese businessman and brother of former President Duterte's economic advisor, was arrested on the spot after arriving at Pasay Airport on the evening of July 9, and was transferred to the Pasay detention center.
According to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), he is suspected of forging documents, using aliases, and participating in Philippine offshore gaming (POGO), money laundering, and transnational fraud through registering shell companies.
This arrest stems from a warrant issued in November 2023, involving perjury and illegal possession of aliases among other identity violations. The arrest was led by the chief of the Pasay Police Department. Tony Yang had long used a Filipino alias to register business entities, concealing his true identity and allegedly providing financial cover for the POGO criminal group.
It is reported that Yang has close connections with the Chinese-funded POGO network in the Philippines, with some charges originating from the business activities during his brother Michael Yang's tenure as Duterte's economic advisor. Currently, he is detained awaiting further investigation and interrogation. This re-arrest marks the authorities' continued crackdown on POGO and related transnational financial crimes, shaking the Philippine political and business sectors.
