Quadcomm trains sights on troll farms

The House Quad Committee (Quadcomm) will investigate claims that troll farms, allegedly financed by a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) boss, have been spreading misinformation to undermine the committee’s ongoing probe into the illegal industry.

Panel co-chair Dan Fernandez revealed in an interview on Thursday that they have received reports suggesting that resources of POGOs, reportedly owned by former president Rodrigo Duterte’s economic adviser Michael Yang, are being used to fund a campaign to verbally attack and discredit the committee.

“King of POGO” Richard Lim, according to Fernandez, is allegedly acting as the frontman for the so-called Yang-owned POGOs.

“There are reports that financing of the trolls comes from the POGO money of Michael Yang. Richard Lim is the one who took over Michael Yang’s POGOs,” Fernandez said.

“We need to verify the claims because someone recently challenged us in a news article, asking why we haven’t tagged Richard Lim, who is well-known in the Chinese community and is said to be perpetuating the POGOs under Michael Yang,” he said.

Yang’s name continued to surface in the congressional investigations. He has been linked to various criminal activities, including illegal drug trafficking and POGOs.

Yang is reportedly one of the incorporators of Empire 999 Realty Corporation, a real estate firm that owned the warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga, where P3.5 billion worth of shabu was seized in September last year.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, a vocal anti-POGO advocate, has suggested that Yang is a key figure in Chinese intelligence operations within the country.

The ongoing House investigation has “uncovered” evidence connecting the illegal drug trade to POGO operations.

Allegedly, the proceeds from the drug trade have been used by foreign nationals, particularly Chinese nationals, to corrupt Filipino public officials, acquire land, and set up businesses in the country. They reportedly use fake Philippine birth certificates and government-issued IDs to cover up their criminal activities.

Quad committee chair Ace Barbers said the trolls not only attack panel members but also intimidate and discourage witnesses who exposed the links between illegal drugs and corruption.