Photo credit: PCO

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has put the brakes on two controversial proposals—one that would have granted Filipino citizenship to a Chinese businessman linked to offshore gaming, and another that sought to revise the historic Baguio City Charter.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed the double veto in a text message to reporters on Friday, simply stating: “Legislative naturalization of Li Duan Wang and the bill on modern Baguio City Charter have been vetoed by the President.”

Malacañang hasn’t released the official veto messages yet, but the reasons behind the President’s decision seem pretty clear—especially in the case of Wang.

Who is Li Duan Wang?

Also known as Mark Ong, Wang’s naturalization bid has been raising eyebrows for months. Lawmakers and watchdogs flagged his alleged connections to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs)—an industry increasingly under scrutiny for illegal activities.

According to Senator Risa Hontiveros, Wang failed to disclose his ties to the 9 Dynasty junket group and its link to Rivendell, a Pasay-based POGO hub reportedly involved in shady dealings. That alone was enough to make critics uneasy about giving him full Filipino citizenship.

What’s up with the Baguio City Charter?

Meanwhile, the veto on the proposed Baguio City Charter revision has stirred a different kind of controversy.

The bill aimed to modernize the city’s decades-old charter, but it faced backlash over fears that it would reduce Baguio’s autonomy as a highly urbanized city. There were also concerns about giving another agency the power to title properties—something that could seriously affect land ownership issues in the summer capital.

With these two vetoes, it looks like Marcos is drawing a firm line on proposals that could potentially harm national interest or weaken local autonomy.