Tony Yang cited in contempt, ordered detained

Tony Yang, one of the personalities under investigation by the House QuadComm, was cited in contempt on Friday night.

Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez moved that Yang be cited in contempt and without any objection the committee approved his motion.

Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante's motion that Yang be detained at the Quezon City jail was similarly approved.

“We are telling you, ang rami mo nang pagsisinungaling dito. Last na ‘to. Kapag hindi ka pa nagsabi ng totoo, we will cite you in contempt,” the lawmaker said. 

(We are telling you, you’ve been lying to us many times. This is your last chance. If you still lie to us, we will cite you in contempt.)

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission's request that Yang be detained at the PAOCC Temporary Detention Facility was granted, according to the Commission's spokesperson Winston Casio.

Before the motion, Fernandez asked Yang if he knew Chinese businessman Allan Lim, who is said to be his partner in his rice milling business in Cagayan de Oro. 

But Yang repeatedly denied that he knew Lim. 

Fernandez presented his rice milling company’s general information sheet which showed that Lim was also involved in the business. 

“Wala? Ayan pakita natin. Mr. Chairman, I’ll be citing this person in contempt [for] many times that he lied. Maliwanag na maliwanag sa GIS (general information sheet), diyan sa corporation, diyan sa rice milling corporation, ayan si Allan Lim, kasosyo mo,” Fernandez said. 

(No? I’ll show this to you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll be citing this person in contempt for many times that he lied. It’s very clear in the GIS, in his rice milling corporation, that Allan Lim is his partner.) 

Fernandez said he asked Yang if he knew two drug personalities and that the Chinese lied when he denied knowing them.

The lawmaker also presented a video of Yang who easily passed through the immigration officers without inspection. 

“Wala siyang pakialam. Hindi niya nire-respeto ang ating mga immigration officers. Why? We don’t know. He established pakikisama to all those people. Basically, we Filipinos have something also to be regretful kasi pinababayaan natin na babuyin tayo ng mga banyagang gaya nito,” said Fernandez. 

(He doesn’t care. He doesn’t respect our immigration officers. Why? We don’t know. He established ‘pakikisama’ to all those people. Basically, we Filipinos have something also to be regretful also because we allowed foreigners like him to disrespect us.)

Fernandez before moving to cite Yang in contempt played a video which showed the Chinese businessman walking past an immigration officer instead of submitting to an inspection.

The congressman said the foreigner disrespected Philppine authorities in the video.

The panel also ordered Yang be detained in the Quezon City Jail.  

Yang, who was arrested last September 19 based on a mission order, 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.  

Yang is the brother of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang. 

The panel also alleged that Michael Yang and Lim are the brains behind a massive crime network in the country. — NB/BAP, GMA Integrated News