Michael Yang a 'key actor in Chinese intel ops in PH' —Hontiveros

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday bared a photo of self-confessed Chinese spy in Al Jazeera documentary She Zhijiang with Michael Yang, the ex-adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

During the continuation of the Senate investigation into the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac and other hubs, Hontiveros said the photo was given to her team by one of their key informants.

"It further deepens what we already know: Michael Yang is a key actor in Chinese intelligence operations here. Michael Yang na sangkot sa Pharmally, and if the reports are accurate, sa drug operations dito," Hontiveros said in her opening statement.

(It further deepens what we already know: Michael Yang is a key player in Chinese intelligence operations here. Michael Yang was involved with Pharmally, and if the reports are accurate, in drug operations as well.)

"Michael Yang na economic adviser ng dating Pangulo. Ginatasan na tayo, pinagtaksilan pa," she added.

(Michael Yang who was an economic adviser to the former president. We've been exploited and betrayed.)

GMA News Online sought the comment of Yang through his legal counsel Raymond Fortun but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

Duterte previously insisted before a House panel that Yang is not linked to the illegal drug trade. 

“Suspetsa [lang] nila kasi Chinese,” Duterte said.

(He is just being suspected of being involved in drug since he is Chinese.)

She Zhijiang

Hontiveros also bared some information about She's links in the Philippines and said that his first known record in the country was on December 10, 2011.

According to Hontiveros, her team's research showed that the subject of the court judgement issued against She in 2014 was due to his involvement in establishing "private lottery platform in the Philippines under the names New Asia, Wanda, Diyuan, and Tang Club without government approval."

Citing her information from her sources, Hontiveros stressed that Chinese nationals who have outstanding warrants in China would find it hard to move around.

"You cannot get a new passport, you cannot go to China. Unless mayroong nag-ayos sa’yo na matataas na tao. At diumano ang dahilan kung bakit ito naaayos ay dahil nga kinukuha sila bilang intelligence asset. Ayon nga po kay She Zhijiang, siya po ay narecruit bilang intelligence asset to work for the Chinese Communist Party," Hontiveros said.

Despite this legal block, Hontiveros stressed that She continued to conduct his activities not only in the Philippines, but also in Myanmar and Cambodia using five different names.

"Noong 2017, despite the 2014 case involving activities in the Philippines and completely oblivious to his espionage activities here, Mr. She was given a 9G visa by the Bureau of Immigration," Hontiveros said.

"He continued activities together with the Chinese Communist Party. I want to point out that She’s documented links in the Philippines are via CEZA," she added, referring to the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.

Disinformation

Apart from gambling operations, Hontiveros also cited information which she said "confirms some of my earlier theories that scam cities are used to sow disinformation campaigns to influence hearts and minds."

"Mukhang hindi lang sugal, scam at trafficking ang pakay ng mga compound na ito, kundi fake news din. Di ako magtataka kung yung mga atake sa akin at sa mga kasamahan ko gaya ni Senator Sherwin ay galing din sa mga POGO," she said.

(It seems that the purpose of these compounds is not only gambling, scams and trafficking, but also fake news. I would not be surprised if the attacks on me and my colleagues like Senator Sherwin also came from POGOs.)

Chinese Communist Propaganda is also "right under our noses," Hontiveros said as she presented to the hearing how a spa beside Newport City in Pasay, which was supposedly linked to She, had QR codes that lead to videos calling to serve China.

"Itong Yatai spa was once associated with She Zhijiang, but we have no knowledge if he still has controlling interest. Nagpamasahe po doon ang aking informants a few weeks ago, and they took a photo of this QR code that was freely available in the buffet area," Hontiveros said.

(My informants had a massage there a few weeks ago, and they took a photo of this QR code that was freely available in the buffet area.)

"Ito po ang sumambulat noong clinick namin ang QR code. A telegram group called 'Hongsheng' - sounds familiar ba - to support overseas bosses. I don’t know if this is the Hongsheng of Guo Hua Ping (Alice Guo)in Bamban, but nothing surprises me anymore at this point," she added.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News