Rody’s guy called to drug probe
According to Barbers, the congressional probe established that most of the incorporators of the different companies are actually Chinese nationals who present fake Philippine documents
Daily TribuneAccording to Barbers, the congressional probe established that most of the incorporators of the different companies are actually Chinese nationals who present fake Philippine documents
ex-economic adviser, Michael Yang
Photo from PNA
The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs will summon former President Rodrigo Duterte’s ex-economic adviser, Michael Yang, over the P3.6 billion worth of shabu seized from a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga, in September last year.
The drug bust, equivalent to about 530 kilos of shabu, was the biggest catch so far under the Marcos administration, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
The panel, chaired by Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, has been holding hearings on the drug bust. It discovered that Empire 999, which owns the warehouse, was managed by personalities previously linked to anomalous activities during the Duterte administration.
The last hearing on 8 May revealed that Lincoln Ong — an executive of Pharmally involved in the Covid-19 medical procurement scandal — and interpreter of Yang, was an incorporator of Empire 999.
Pharmally was alleged to have cornered billions in favored contracts with the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management through Christopher Lao to supply Covid-19 supplies at the height of the pandemic.
“Without financial capacity, Lincoln Ong revealed that the acquisition of supplies abroad was financed by Michael Yang,” Barbers said.
According to Barbers, the congressional probe established that most of the incorporators of the different companies are actually Chinese nationals who present fake Philippine documents to make it appear they are Filipinos.
“What started as a drug bust turned out to be a national security concern as these personalities and companies acquired real properties all over the country using fictitious documents,” he lamented.
“This matter has now gone from a simple illegal drug smuggling to a national security concern.”
Barbers emphasized the need to establish the link between the said firms and Yang, whose interests, he claimed, are so intertwined.
“The activities of the other companies have not been unearthed yet but the incorporators have gone into hiding already and have started disposing off their assets. There is more than meets the eye,” the lawmaker stressed.
“I always say that we have no problems with Chinese nationals doing legitimate business in our country. But doing these illegal drug activities is another story.”
Yang, who was appointed by Duterte as a presidential economic adviser in 2018, has denied his involvement with Pharmally, whose executives was indicted by the Ombudsman for multiple counts of graft just earlier this week.
