The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested Xu Shiyan, a Chinese national reportedly connected to Tony Yang, the brother of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang, in Cagayan de Oro City.
Xu was identified as an incorporator of the Philippine Sanjia-Steel Corporation (Phil-Sanjia), which operates in the city, according to Melody Penelope Gonzales, head of the BI’s Mindanao Intelligence Task Group (MITG). The company had previously drawn scrutiny in relation to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities.
Among Phil-Sanjia’s incorporators is Antonio Lim—believed to be an alias used by Tony Yang, who has been the subject of congressional investigations for alleged links to POGO operations. Yang was previously arrested in 2024 by the BI for misrepresenting his identity as a Filipino citizen.
During Xu’s arrest, authorities recovered multiple Philippine government documents under his name, including birth certificates, Philsys IDs, SSS and UMID forms, a driver’s license, and a COMELEC registration slip—raising concerns about possible identity fraud and abuse of government systems.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reiterated the agency’s firm stance against foreign nationals exploiting the country’s systems. “We will not allow foreign nationals to abuse our systems, falsify their identities, and use Philippine documents to cover their tracks,” he said. “The Bureau is fully committed to supporting the President’s campaign to rid the country of criminal elements linked to illegal POGOs.”
