The Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corporation Industrial Authority (Phividec-IA) confirmed that one of its listed locators, Philippine Sanjia-Steel Corporation (Phil-Sanjia), is under investigation due to suspected ties with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
This came to light during a recent congressional hearing. Phividec-IA Acting Deputy Administrator for Operations, Atty. Benjamin Medrano, disclosed in an interview on Sunday that Phil-Sanjia, located in Misamis Oriental, has not yet ceased its operations. “We are currently investigating the firm because we learned it is linked to one of the alleged POGOs in Barangay Cugman in Cagayan de Oro City,” Medrano said.
Phil-Sanjia has been a locator within Phividec-IA’s 3,000-hectare estate, which spans the municipalities of Tagoloan and Villanueva, covering 13 villages, since 2018. The company’s presence predates the tenure of current administrator Joseph Donato Bernedo, who took office in 2023.
During a House of Representatives “quad committee” (quadcom) hearing in Quezon City, Phil-Sanjia was identified as being owned by Tony Yang, also known as Jian Yang Xin, believed to be the elder brother of Michael Yang, former economic adviser to the Duterte administration.
Phil-Sanjia, however, issued a statement denying these allegations, asserting that Tony Yang, also registered as Antonio Lim, is no longer the company’s president. The company also rejected claims of employing undocumented Chinese nationals and storing smuggled goods such as rice.
Medrano emphasized that Phividec-IA is prepared to cooperate fully with the quadcom’s investigation. However, the agency was unable to attend the recent hearing due to a last-minute invitation. “We received the invitation only a day before the hearing, making it difficult to arrange our flights. But if Congress invites us again, we are ready to present our side,” Medrano assured.
Phividec-IA, established by Presidential Decree No. 538 on August 13, 1974, aims to promote and sustain economic and social growth. The Misamis Oriental estate is its first industrial area, serving as a key site for the corporation’s mission to develop industrial zones across the country.
