House panel issues show cause order to Duterte adviser Michael Yang 

The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs on Wednesday issued a show cause order to Michael Yang, an adviser to former president Rodrigo Duterte, for failing to attend the congressional hearing on the P3-billion drug bust in Pampanga. 

Yang was represented instead by his counsel Raymond Fortun during the hearing, explaining that he is currently abroad. 

“Mr. Michael Yang could not attend today’s hearing because he had left for Dubai last May 12, 2024. He has been in and out of the country eight times for the past seven months. He is a businessman,” said Fortun. 

But committee chairperson Surigao del Norte 2nd district Representative Ace Barbers noted that the panel could only interrogate Yang and not his lawyer. 

“However, we cannot ask you questions because questions will be directed to Mr. Michael Yang alone, and counsels or lawyers of our resource person are only asked to guide and assist their clients,” he said. 

Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez suggested that a subpoena order be issued against Yang because of his "unacceptable" reason for absence.

“Considering the reason that was mentioned by Atty. Fortun was that he is a busy businessman, is not acceptable. That’s the reason why I think we need to issue a subpoena to this resource person for him to attend the next hearing,” he said. 

But Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano said that a show cause order must be issued instead against Yang for proper procedure. 

“It is just proper so we will not be accused of violating due process, before issuing subpoena, we should issue first a show-cause order to Mr. Michael Yang,” he said. 

Committee vice chairperson Antipolo 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop said panel members could decide on what will be issued against the former presidential economic adviser. 

Six committee members voted in favor of issuing a show cause order, while Fernandez was the lone opposition. 

Yang was earlier invited to the House panel hearing after his translator Lincoln Ong, who is also a figure in the Pharmally scandal, was, according to Barbers, found to be an incorporator of a company with links to other companies including Empire 999 Realty Corporation. 

Empire 999 owns the warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga where over P3 billion worth of illegal drugs were seized last year. 

Arrest 

The House panel also ordered the arrest of a certain Willie Ong, who owns the Empire 999. 

The alleged drug lord has also been a no-show in the hearings since last year. 

“Since he consistently failed to appear before us, we have no other recourse but to issue a warrant of arrest against him,” said Barbers. “Soon as you determine his whereabouts, arrest and bring him to this Congress so we can get his side of the story.” 

Citing the Bureau of Immigration, Barbers said that Ong has never used his Philippine passport. However, a Chinese citizen that goes by the name of Cai Quimeng has an identical photo with Ong in one of his travel documents. —LDF, GMA Integrated News