President Marcos Jr. Rejects Bill Granting Citizenship to Chinese Businessman Linked to POGOs
COTABATO CITY (April 13, 2025) – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has rejected a bill that sought to grant citizenship to a Chinese businessman allegedly connected to the now-defunct Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), according to Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
During a press briefing in Malacañang, Castro stated that President Marcos could not “blindly ignore the alarming warnings” regarding Li Duan Wang.
“I am unable to blindly ignore the alarming and revealing warnings raised by our relevant national agencies that find the subject grantee’s character and influence to be full of ominous and dark consequences, if not of a clear and present danger,” Castro quoted the President as saying.
“Ang ipagsawalang bahala ang babalang ito ay tila pagsuway sa ating tungkulin sa sambayanang Pilipino, (To disregard these warnings would be a violation of our duty to the Filipino people),” Castro added.
Castro emphasized that being granted Filipino citizenship is a privilege, not something to be given freely to any foreigner. It should not be used to further dubious interests.
According to the President, granting Filipino citizenship to a foreigner is not only about giving legal rights to that person.
“Binubuksan natin ang buong karangalan ng ating kasaysayan, ang ating lahi, at ang ating pamana, (It opens up the full honor of our history, our nationhood, and our heritage),” Castro said.
“Unang-una po nais ipaalam ng Pangulo na kung may kaduda-dudang interes at hindi naman bingi ang ating Pangulo para dinggin at pakinggan kung ano yung kanyang mga nakukuhang mga data or facts about supposed to be grantee, (First and foremost, the President wants to make clear that if there are questionable interests involved, he is not deaf to the data and facts he has received about the supposed grantee),” Castro explained.
“Kung nagkaroon man ng desisyon ang Kongreso na patawan o bigyan ng Philippine citizenship itong si Li Duan Wang, hindi po kumbinsido ang Pangulo, (Even if Congress decides to grant Philippine citizenship to Li Duan Wang, the President is not convinced),” she concluded. (Tu Alid Alfonso, BMN/BangsamoroToday)
