đź“·House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairperson and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez
THE House Committee on Dangerous Drugs on Wednesday cited Michael Yang “in contempt” for his refusal to show up at the panel’s probe into the P3.6-billion illegal drugs seized in Pampanga last year.
Yang, who served as an economic adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been dragged to corporations allegedly connected with Empire 999 Realty Corp, which owns the warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga where the shabu was seized.
Antipolo City Second District Rep. Romeo Acop made the motion to cite Yang in contempt for which other members of the panel agreed.
During the congressional hearing, House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairperson and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez sought Committee on Dangerou Drug chair Robert Ace Barbers’ concurrence to ask law enforcement agencies to locate Yang.
“His last trip was May 12, 2024… Manila to Dubai. These travel dates were never updated. May we ask the Immigration, the DOJ, the Interpol if possible, and the PNP to be aware of the decision of this committee with regard to the contempt that we issued,” Fernandez said.
“We will ask the committee secretary to closely coordinate with the agencies involved in the implementation of the contempt and the penalties thereof pursuant to the rules of the House of Representatives,” Barbers replied.
Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano moved to detain Yang in Bicutan City Jail for 30 days once arrested.
The panel plans to invite former Sen. Richard Gordon, former national police chief Oscar Albayalde, and former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Chiefs Aaron Aquino and Wilkins Villanueva to the next hearing.
Yang “has not appeared before this committee despite several invitations,” Barbers quipped. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
