DOJ places Mighty Corp. owner, brother in lookout bulletin

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has issued an immigration lookout bulletin order against the owner of homegrown tobacco company Mighty Corp. and his brother amid allegations the firm is engaged in smuggling.

In a memorandum dated March 7, Aguirre instructed the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to relay to his office or to the Prosecutor General any attempt of Mighty Corp. Alexander Dy Wong Chu King and Caesar Dy Wong Chu King to leave the country.

The lookout bulletin does not necessarily stop someone from departing the country.

Mighty Corp. is facing allegations of smuggling and continuing crime of economic sabotage for using fake Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) tax stamps on its products, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to order Alexander's arrest recently.

Aguirre and National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran on Tuesday met with Alexander Wong Chu King, who gave his assurance to cooperate with any probe that may involve him.

Aguirre, however, said on Wednesday the businessman cannot be arrested at the moment because there were no pending cases against him.

“There is no reason to have Alex Wong Chu King arrested as of the moment. While the Department of Justice (DOJ) is at the forefront of ensuring that our laws be faithfully obeyed, there is a process that has to be observed under the law,” he added.

The Justice chief said he believed that the "proper thing" to do was for the representatives of Mighty Corp, the Department of Finance (DOF), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the DOJ to sit down and fully determine the exact tax liabilities of Mighty Corp if any, and collect what he owes the government.

The DOF has already instructed the BOC and the BIR to prepare tax evasion and other possible charges against Mighty Corp. and file them with the DOJ. — MDM, GMA News