Ex-adviser ni Digong protector ng POGO?

PINANGALANAN sa Senado ng isang babaeng Taiwanese ang umano’y protektor ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) sa bansa na isang Michael Yang.

Sinabi naman ni Senador Risa Hontiveros na inaalam pa nito kung ang tinukoy na Michael Yang ng nasabing Taiwanese woman ay ang dating economic adviser ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na may pangalan ding Michael Yang.
“Right now, our main concern is the humanitarian aspect. We haven’t gone to the checking of identities,” sabi ng senador.

Lumutang sa Senado ang biktimang si Lai Yu Cian, 23-anyos, upang ireklamo ang sinapit umano niyang pang-aabuso sa kamay ng Chinese national na nag-recruit sa kanya para magtrabaho sa POGO.

Kasama si Hontiveros, umiiyak na isinalaysay ni Lai, ang masamang sinapit sa pinapasukang POGO kung saan matagal umano siyang ikinulong at hindi pinabalik sa Taiwan.

Dito na niya ibinunyag ang isang umano’y government official na nagpoprotekta sa illegal POGO na pinapasukan nito kaya’t wala siyang magawa kung hindi sumunod sa ipinagagawang kahalayan.

“They want me to work for 24 hours, treating me like a slave. I already told them that I wanna go home, I wanna go back to Taiwan but they forced me to work for them. They told me that they have a protector behind them, which are government people,” sinabi ni Lai.

Tinukoy nito ang “very powerful” protector at employer umano niya na isang Michael Yang.

“I heard about once or twice when my supervisor got mad at me, they mention Michael Yang. He didn’t explain to me. He just shouts that at me,” ayon pa kay Lai.

Si Lai na dumating sa bansa bilang turista noong Oktubre 1 ng nakaraang taon at inalok na magtrabaho bilang administration personnel sa POGO ay isa sa 30 East Asians na nasagip sa Mandaluyong City noong Pebrero 3.

“I did not know that it was an illegal business here. I know nothing. The only thing I know is I wanna have a job. Until now I cannot find my passport. I have to be strong to tell everything because they threatened me and my boss threatened me and abused me mentally and physically. I already told them that I want to go home but they forced me to work for them and always say they have a protector behind them who is government people,” pahayag ni Lai.
Dahil dito, nanawagan si Hontiveros sa pamahalaan na hanapin ang mga illegal at fly-by-night POGO sa bansa.