Hontiveros says Yang brothers part of ‘massive crime syndicate’

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday accused the family of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang of being part of a “massive crime syndicate.” 

“It is much clearer now that their family business is a massive crime syndicate that has operated in the country for far too long and has victimized far too many,” she said in a statement.

Michael's brother Tony Yang, who was arrested at NAIA by immigration authorities last week, is said to own the Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation, which has a warehouse that was constructed in 2018 in Cagayan de Oro, the same time the POGO hubs in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac Pampanga were being built. 

Hontiveros said that Tony’s arrest will expose their family’s link to POGO and Chinese syndicates. 

“The arrest of Tony Yang, who is wanted in China for financial scamming, will pave the way for establishing his connections to POGOs—just like his brothers Michael and Hongjiang,” Hontiveros said.

Asked for comment, Michael's lawyer Raymond Fortun told GMA Integrated News: "No comment from now, as I want to see what her evidence is." 

Michael is the subject of an arrest order issued by the House committee on dangerous drugs following a contempt citation for his absences in the hearings on the P3.6-billion drug buy-bust in Pampanga, to which he has also been linked. 

The former presidential adviser to Rodrigo Duterte is also being linked to illegal POGO activities. 

Meanwhile, their other brother Hongjiang Yang was alleged to have direct transactions with Baofu Land Development, which is a company of dismissed Bamban Mayor Alice Guo. 

Inside the Baofu compound was the POGO hub raided by authorities last March. 

Hontiveros said Tony and Hongjiang’s alleged involvement in POGOs could not be a coincidence, noting that the brothers used the “same corporate tactics” to conceal their illegal activities. 

“There are indications that corporate layering and the crimes they committed through these entities may be part of their modus operandi,” she said.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission said that Tony is the leader of the Yang brothers. 

The House of Representatives said it was considering inviting Tony Yang to its series of hearings. — BM, GMA Integrated News