Hontiveros claims some firms funding Cale88 are Chinese state-owned

Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday claimed that some of the Chinese firms that funded Cale88 Foods Corporation, a company linked to lawyer Mans Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte, were Chinese state-owned enterprises.

Hontiveros made the allegation during her interjection on the 34th day of the impeachment trial, as she asked questions to Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, a witness presented by the House prosecution panel.

The senator-judge said her office looked into the Chinese companies mentioned during Monday’s trial and found that some of those that sent money to Cale88 are Chinese state-owned enterprises that may be “advancing the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.”

“Isa na po doon ‘yung pinakitang China National Township Enterprises. Base po sa research ng opisina ko, dating ‘directly under the Ministry of Agriculture’ sa China, at naging isang, ‘large state-owned agricultural enterprise under the supervision of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council,’” Hontiveros said.

(One of these is the China National Township Enterprises. Based on my office’s research, it was formerly ‘directly under the Ministry of Agriculture’ in China and became a ‘large state-owned agricultural enterprise under the supervision of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.’)

“At sa public profiles po ng China National Township Enterprises na ‘yun, binibida ng kumpanya na sila daw ay, ‘committed to serving the implementation of the country's Belt and Road Initiative and foreign policy,’” she added.

(And in the public profiles of China National Township Enterprises, the company highlights that it is ‘committed to serving the implementation of the country's Belt and Road Initiative and foreign policy.’)

Hontiveros said that another firm, Beijing Zhenweifang Food Company, is supposedly owned by the Xinjiang Fruit Industry Group, as stated in the company’s own materials.

“Kumpirmado din po itong Xinjiang Fruit ay Series A investor sa Beijing Zhenweifang. Mayroon ding strategic cooperation agreement itong dalawang kumpanya — ’yung Beijing at saka ‘yung Xinjiang mula pa 2019,” she said.

(It’s also confirmed that Xinjiang Fruit is a Series A investor in Beijing Zhenweifang. The two companies—the Beijing Zhenweifang and the Xinjiang Fruit—also have a strategic cooperation agreement since 2019.)

“Itong Xinjiang Fruit Industry Group ay hindi ordinaryong kumpanya (is not an ordinary company). It's a Chinese state-owned enterprise. It advances the interests of the Chinese Communist Party,” she continued.

Hontiveros then asked Buenaventura if the AMLC looked into such linkages.

The AMLC official, in response, said that he could not give a definite answer on the matter.

“Your Honor, apologies po. At this point po, ‘yung na-cover po nung subpoena is only on the records. Apology po hindi po 'ko makakatulong sa tanong po ninyo, but I'm unable to answer that po at this point,” Buenaventura said.

(Your Honor, apologies. At this point, what was covered in the subpoena was only the records. Apologies I can’t help answer your question at this point.)

Hontiveros further asked the witness if, as head of the AMLC Secretariat, he would consider such transactions a cause for concern.

“Your Honor, I note po the… I have to review po ‘yung binanggit niyo po. Hindi ko po nakuha lahat po, Your Honor. But we'll take note naman po ‘yung nabanggit po ninyo,” Buenaventura answered.

(Your Honor, I have to review what you mentioned. I didn't get it all, Your Honor. But we'll take note of what you mentioned.)

During the trial on Monday, Buenaventura confirmed that Cale88 Foods Corporation received P319 million from China and Hong Kong.

Of the amount, it was indicated in the table presented that P315.93 million came from Mainland China, while P3.39 million was from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila branded the allegations that China has funneled funds to a political faction in the Philippines as a "false narrative," calling them "malicious rhetoric and actions.” — BAP, GMA News