Palace admits Chinese trader Michael Yang a consultant for Duterte

Weeks after President Rodrigo Duterte denied appointing Michael Yang as an adviser on economic affairs, his spokesman on Tuesday confirmed that the Chinese businessman had been engaged as a Palace consultant on economic matters.

"[He is] one of the consultants of the President. He consults him every now and then," Presidential spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary SalvadorPanelo said at a news conference.

"He rose from poor origins to being a wealthy man and he has a technical know-how to run a business and also because he is Chinese he knows a lot of people in the Chinese government and he knows the psychology of Chinese," he added.

"On that aspect, the President needs people like him," Panelo said.

Panelo made the remarks after Rappler reported that Malacañang had tapped Yang as an "economic adviser to the President" from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 and from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.

Yang was identified in the documents by his Chinese name Yang Hong Ming, according to the report.

Panelo could not say what technical services or expertise Yang gave that no Filipino consultant could provide, and the type of sensitive information to which the businessman had access.

"I think that's between the President and the economic adviser. You cannot be revealing those things," Panelo said.

The Palace has yet to release copies of the contracts as Panelo referred the media to the supposed signatories to the documents, namely, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and former Senior Deputy Executive Secretary and now Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

"I haven't seen [the actual documents]," he said.

Panelo also said he would seek clarification from Duterte regarding his media statement last October 9 that he could not appoint Yang because he is Chinese. 

The Palace official also denied that Yang, owner of Davao City Los Amigos (DCLA) stores in Mindanao, could influence policy. 

"One economic adviser cannot create policies. It's the President that creates policies," Panelo said.

Duterte has previously revealed Yang’s close relations with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua. The President also cleared the Chinese businessman of any links to the illegal drug trade. 

Detained Senator Leila De Lima earlier filed a resolution seeking a probe into the alleged appointment of foreign nationals to public office, particularly Yang.

In Senate Resolution 922 filed on October 18, De Lima said there is a need to determine the authenticity of Yang’s appointment as presidential economic adviser, his relationship with Duterte and the extent of his access to sensitive state information.

“More stringent penalties must be imposed upon any foreign national who willfully, knowingly and conspicuously usurps into public office," she said. —NB, GMA News