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 — Former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang's connection to illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) might be deeper than initially thought, as Sen. Risa Hontiveros linked Yang’s brother to the Baofu Land Development, Inc. where Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo was a former incorporator.

Baofu is the property where the POGOs Hongsheng and Zun Yuan used to operate.

According to Hontiveros, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) discovered that Hongjiang Yang, Michael Yang’s brother, had direct transactions with Baofu through his joint account with a certain Yu Zheng Can, who was an incorporator of Hongsheng.

READ: Former Duterte adviser Michael Yang slams Congress, denies hand in POGOs

“In short, the money of Michael Yang's brother was used to fund Hongsheng, the raided Bamban POGO,” Hontiveros alleged.  

Hongjiang is also supposedly an incorporator of the Philippine Fullwin Group of Companies whose president is his brother, Michael, and where a certain Gerald Cruz is the corporate secretary.

Cruz is also reportedly an incorporator of the illegal POGO Brickhartz and corporate secretary of Pharmally Biological where Michael Yang has shares.

Yang was implicated in the Pharmally scandal during the height of the pandemic in 2021. Authorities alleged that there was corruption in the purchase of COVID supplies.

“Sabi ko nga, mukhang one big, happy Pharmally pala itong mga POGO at Pharmally members. Baka nga itong Pharmally pala ang “PHARM” na kinalakihan ni Alice Guo,” Hontiveros said.

(It seems like these POGO and Pharmally members make up one big happy Pharmally. Maybe Pharmally is the “Pharm” where Alice Guo grew up.)

“Mukhang konektado talaga si Guo Hua Ping sa mga mas malalaking sindikato pa,” Hontiveros added.

(It looks like Guo Hua Ping is really connected with bigger syndicates.)

Guo Hua Ping is alleged to be the real name of Mayor Guo.

Since Michael Yang was the former adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Hontiveros said they would look into the latter’s possible connection to POGOs.

“Yun yung susunod na dots na titignan kung maikokonekta o hindi,” Hontiveros remarked.

(Those are the dots that we will see if we can connect or not.)

Michael Yang’s lawyer, Atty. Raymond Fortun, insisted, however, that his client is not involved in POGOs.

“I dont know a Hongjiang Yang. I didn't even know that Michael has a brother,” Fortun said.  

Fortun has previously said that Pharmally Pharmaceutical, the corporation linked to the Pharmally scandal, is different from Yang’s Pharmally Biological.

Duterte's former chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo said there was "absolutely no factual and  legal bases" to link the former President to any corrupt activity. 

"Her obsession to tarnish the reputation of PRRD is insatiable," Panelo said in a statement. 

"She keeps using her committee to try persons by publicity — denying them of the due process clause of the Constitution under the guise of legislative inquiry in aid of legislation — as exemplified by what she did to Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Gui, who have become victims of her injustice," he added. 

Panelo also accused Hontiveros of attempting to "malign the character of PRRD and at the same time she wants to be politically relevant and preparing to run for a higher office." 

"She should focus on introducing legislative bills that will address the basic problems of the like poverty, lack of education, and issues on health public works, agriculture, trade and the like instead of nauseous grandstanding," Panelo said.

"She is wasting taxpayers money. This must stop. She must be fealty to her oath of office," he said. 

RELATED VIDEO: