By noon, the Philippine governnt had officially declared war on Matthew Borja and Sentinel Systems.
The headlines were relentless. Every major state-aligned dia outlet ran the sa narrative: Matthew Borja was a dangerous oligarch who needed to be investigated.
And now, they were using the full force of governnt agencies to do it.
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Investigation
The first strike ca from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which announced a comprehensive audit of Sentinel Systems and all of Matthew's personal assets.
Breaking News:
"BIR Launches Probe into Sentinel Systems' Tax Compliance!"
"Governnt Questions Matthew Borja's Billions—Are There Tax Loopholes at Play?"
"DOJ, BIR, and AMLC to Investigate Possible Tax Fraud by Tech Billionaire!"
Angel stord into the war room, her expression tense as she threw a printed governnt notice onto the table.
"They're claiming Sentinel might have engaged in aggressive tax avoidance and that they're launching an audit into every peso you've ever made."
Matthew barely glanced at the papers. "They know we're clean. This is just harassnt."
Angel crossed her arms. "Of course. But they don't care about the truth. They just need the public to think you're guilty."
Lucas Tan, Sentinel's lead attorney, leaned forward. "Legally, they don't have anything substantial. But they're weaponizing bureaucracy. They'll drag this out for months, freeze assets if they can, and leak 'findings' to make you look bad."
Matthew smirked. "Let them dig. They won't find anything."
Angel exhaled. "That's not all. The Departnt of Finance is about to move next."
Hours later, the Departnt of Finance (DOF) announced it was reviewing Sentinel's foreign capital flow—questioning whether the company had received "questionable" foreign investnts.
Breaking News:
"DOF to Investigate Sentinel Systems Over Foreign Investnt Ties!"
"National Security Risk? Lawmakers Call for Inquiry into Sentinel's International Backers!"
"Tech Tycoon Borja Under Scrutiny—Is Sentinel Being Used to Undermine Filipino Businesses?"
Angel threw her tablet onto the table. "They're implying that your foreign investors are a threat to national security."
Matthew scoffed. "They're trying to make look like a foreign puppet. That's rich, coming from a governnt that sells half the country's resources to China."
Lucas sighed. "We could counter this, but this isn't about proving innocence. This is about burying us in legal red tape."
Matthew took a slow sip of coffee. His patience was wearing thin.
"Let's get ahead of it," he said. "We'll release our own audit before they can make false accusations."
Angel nodded. "I'll have our PR team prepare a full transparency report."
Lucas added, "We should also remind the public that Sentinel pays more in taxes than half these politicians combined."
Matthew smirked. "Oh, we will."
The Senate Committee on Trade and Industry Joins the Attack
That evening, the Senate announced an ergency hearing on Sentinel Systems.
Breaking News:
"Senate to Investigate Sentinel Systems Over Monopoly Concerns!"
"Senator Valera: 'No Tech Company Should Be More Powerful Than the Governnt!'"
Senator Rodrigo Valera held a highly publicized press briefing, his eyes blazing with manufactured outrage as he denounced Sentinel's dominance.
"Matthew Borja is not elected by the people. Yet, he holds more power than any official in this country! This is not just an issue of business—this is about democracy!"
Matthew chuckled as he watched the press conference on a holo-screen. The hypocrisy was staggering.
Angel sighed. "They're setting the stage for forcing governnt control over Sentinel."
Lucas leaned back, rubbing his temple. "They might push for forced divestnt. Make you sell stakes to 'approved' investors. In other words—governnt cronies."
Matthew's smirk widened. "Let them try."
The Departnt of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Moves Against Sentinel
The final attack ca from the Departnt of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Breaking News:
"DICT Reviewing Sentinel Systems' Compliance with National Cybersecurity Laws!"
"Governnt Raises Concerns Over Sentinel OS—Is Borja's Technology a Security Threat?"
Angel rubbed her temples. "Now they're trying to ban Sentinel OS?"
Lucas exhaled. "If they can't destroy you legally, they'll try to cripple your business."
Matthew leaned back, contemplating his next move.
"They're escalating. Which ans they're scared."
Angel frowned. "Scared of what?"
Matthew's eyes glead.
"."
The Fightback Begins
Matthew stood, his energy shifting from amusent to cold determination.
"They think I'm so local businessman they can bully. But they forgot who they're dealing with."
He turned to Lucas. "Prepare lawsuits. If they want a legal war, we'll drown them in paperwork."
Lucas nodded. "We'll challenge every subpoena, every audit, every investigation. Delay them for years."
Matthew turned to Angel. "Have our international partners speak out. If Vargas pushes too hard, investors will pull out."
Angel grinned. "Already on it. So foreign investors are reconsidering their projects in the Philippines."
Matthew smirked. "Perfect."
He turned back to the screen, watching the corrupt governnt scramble to destroy him.
They wanted war?
They had no idea what was coming.
The attacks didn't stop.
By the next morning, another round of governnt actions had been announced, each one targeting a different aspect of Matthew Borja's empire. If they couldn't break him financially, they would go after his reputation, his business operations, and even his ability to function within the country.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Joins the Fray
Breaking News:
"SEC Opens Inquiry into Sentinel Systems' Market Practices!"
"Is Borja's Company in Violation of Investnt Regulations?"
"Stock Market Watch: How Will Sentinel Systems Weather the Governnt's Crackdown?"
Angel burst into the war room, frustration evident in every step. "Now the SEC is claiming they need to 'review' Sentinel's corporate structure. They're acting like we fabricated our entire success overnight."
Lucas read through the official notice, shaking his head. "This is a fishing expedition. They're hoping to find sothing—anything—they can use to justify an indictnt."
Matthew tapped his fingers on the table, thinking. "They won't find anything illegal. But if they push hard enough, they might scare off so investors."
Angel sighed. "That's the goal. They want uncertainty. If they can't destroy you, they'll make people too afraid to do business with you."
Matthew smirked. "They forget that Sentinel isn't just a Filipino company anymore. We have international backers who won't tolerate governnt ddling."
Lucas nodded. "And speaking of international backers, so of them are getting concerned. They're asking if we're considering relocating."
Matthew's smirk widened. "Let them ask. We'll use that to our advantage."
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