Michael Yang to skip Senate blue ribbon probe on Friday —lawyer

Former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang will skip Friday's resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee's investigation into the questionable procurement of COVID-19 supplies due to health reasons, according to his legal counsel.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun said they already informed the Senate panel that Yang will not be able to participate in the hearing scheduled at 3 p.m.

This came a day after the Davao City-based Chinese businessman sought relief from the Supreme Court to void the outstanding arrest order issued by the Senate as well as the lookout bulletin issued by the Bureau of Immigration against him.

“No po. We sent [a] notice to the Senate [blue ribbon committee] that he is ill and can’t attend,” Fortun told GMA News Online in a text message.

In a letter sent to Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate blue ribbon chairman Richard Gordon, Fortun said Yang was diagnosed with nonexudative pharyngitis last November 24 and his doctor could not rule out the possibility that his client had contracted COVID-19.

According to the medical certificate attached to the letter, Yang was advised to rest for one week.

Fortun also said he was told to stay away from Yang while the latter is in isolation. He said he would be monitoring the day's proceedings in Yang’s stead.

“As an officer of the Court, I undertake to ensure Mr. Yang’s attendance at the next hearing so long as his health condition improve to allow him to do so,” Fortun said.

“Please also be assured of Mr. Yang’s continuous respect in the Senate and the Blue Ribbon Committee, his willingness to attend the latter’s hearings in aid of legislation, and his cooperation in all matters that are within the bounds of the law.”

It would not be the first time that Yang skipped the Senate probe due to health reasons.

Last September 13, Yang failed to attend the continuation of the inquiry after his doctor advised him to rest after his blood pressure "shot up."

Earlier in the day, Gordon said Yang’s petition before the SC is part of the desperate attempt to distract the Senate investigation into the government’s questionable purchase of COVID-19 supplies

In a 46-page petition, Yang urged the SC to declare as null and void the arrest orders dated September 7 and 10 and the lookout bulletin issued against him.

Yang also asked the high court to stop the Senate committee from further requesting him to submit documents and information on his properties, such as cars, real estate, and corporations, as well as all tax records and donations.

Yang has been grilled by the senators over his alleged links with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, a firm that only had a P625,000 paid-up capital when it bagged billions of pesos worth of contract from the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

During the course of the Senate investigation, an official from Pharmally disclosed that Yang had “guaranteed” for them when they were sourcing PPE supplies from China.

Linconn Ong, one of the executives of Pharmally, made the disclosure after Yang denied any links with the corporation.

Senators also found out the Yang only paid P7,600 in income tax in 2018 and failed to pay his duties from 2014 to 2017. —KBK, GMA News

(https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/808765/drilon-michael-yang-paid-only-thousands-in-taxes-in-2018-did-not-file-itr-from-2014-to-2017/story/)