Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers revealed on Friday that a big-time Chinese drug syndicate has been able to acquire thousands of land in Pampanga and “across the country.”

In his remarks at the start of the first hearing of the House of Representatives quad committee, Barbers, who chairs the committee on dangerous drugs and is the lead presiding officer of the joint panel, said the syndicate is composed of “several Chinese nationals masquerading as Filipinos.”

Barbers said part of the drug haul of the syndicate was the P3.6-billion worth of shabu seized by authorities in Mexico town, Pampanga, in September 2023.

He added that inquiries conducted by House committees showed that Chinese nationals, who are incorporators of several interlocking companies, owned the warehouse where the shabu shipment was confiscated after entering the country through the Subic Freeport.

The lawmaker also pointed out that the same Chinese nationals, including Duterte economic adviser Michael Yang, have been linked to several scandals, including the questionable Pharmally medical supplies procurement case and illegal Philippine offshore gambling operations.

“Land acquisition is one of the ways that they launder their drug funds. Nakabili na po sila ng libo-libong ektarya ng lupa dito sa Pampanga and across the country (They already bought thousand of land hectares in Pampanga and across the country),” Barbers stressed.

He added that quad committee would try to expose the syndicate’s land purchases.

The panel’s first joint hearing was held at the mini-convention center of the town of Bacolor in Pampanga, which is part of the province’s third congressional district represented by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr.

Bacolor suffered the brunt of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991. It is now one of the growth areas in Pampanga.

Gonzales emphasized that the progressive town of Bacolor people see today is the product of the “blood, sweat, tears, and dreams” of every son and daughter of the devastated town.

“We will not let this redemption story go in vain. We have sacrificed too much for our municipality to be buried yet again—this time through the entry of foreign entities with malign intentions,” he said.

“This is a warning to all who threaten the safety and security of our people: You will never succeed! We will pursue this joint investigation and demonstrate our commitment to justice, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights,” he added.

Echoing Barbers’ statements, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, who chairs the committee on public order and safety, said the Chinese drug syndicate also use its illegal drug proceeds to bribe government officials and personnel in obtaining Filipino identity documents like passports and birth certificates.

“They bribe government functionaries, from the barangay level up to national agencies,” Fernandez said.