Then-President Rodrigo Duterte, accompanied by businessman Michael Yang (2nd from right) and members of his delegation and Chinese officials, in Beijing, China on October 19, 2016. Toto Lozano, Malacanang Photo/file

MANILA — The camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s ex-economic adviser Michael Yang has denied allegations he is involved in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

In an interview, Attorney Raymond Fortun, lawyer of Yang, said his client’s name is not present in any records presented so far.

“Mr. Yang’s name has never appeared in any of these corporations. To say and make a sweeping statement of that nature may appear to not have any legal or factual basis,” Fortun said.

In Wednesday’s Senate hearing, Committee on Women Chair Senator Risa Hontiveros raised the possibility of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo being connected to a certain Gerald Cruz, an incorporator of the illegal POGO Brickhartz Technologies. 

Cruz is allegedly the corporate secretary of Michael Yang’s Full Win Group of Companies and Pharmally Biological where Yang has shares.

Hontiveros wondered if this connection can be traced up to Duterte.

“Just because a person is connected with a company that somehow has a business dealing with another company under investigation does not make that person’s inclusion in that corporation as illegal,” Fortun argued.

“It’s all hyperbole. Just to say may koneksyon (Just to say there is a connection),” he added.

Fortun said the Senate should produce evidence against Yang.

In Yang’s statement read by Fortun, the former presidential adviser slammed Congress.

“People have seen how unfair the proceedings are before the House and/or the Senate. There is no respect for due process or rules of procedures that can be found in regular courts that would guarantee a person’s rights to be deemed innocent. Whether they admit it or not, the legislators are worse than learned prosecutors instead of fact-finding in aid of legislation.”

Yang also claimed that Duterte never gave him favors with his businesses.

“My relationship with former President Duterte is a matter of record. I knew him when he was then the mayor of Davao City and I was engaged in trading during the same period. He or any of his close friends has not helped me do my business. To repeat, I am not engaged in any illicit or illegal business.”

HOUSE CONTEMPT

Yang apologized for being absent in the hearings of the House of Representatives on the P3.6 billion illegal drugs seized in Pampanga in 2023. He is currently in Dubai.

He has been cited in contempt.

“I accept the consequences of my failure to appear in the hearings. I wish, however, to state that my presence is not necessary and is only intended to embarrass me if not for someone’s political purposes,” Yang said in his statement.

Fortun said he does not know if Yang will come back to the Philippines as he is a Chinese citizen but he urged authorities to charge him in court if there is evidence.