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DOJ urged to facilitate deportation of ex-Duterte adviser Michael Yang

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="File photo of Michael Yang/Handout" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/10/08/20181008-michael-yang-profile.jpg"/><figcaption>File photo of Michael Yang. <em>Handout</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday urged the Department of Justice to facilitate the deportation of ex-presidential adviser Michael Yang for allegedly evading taxes and over his links with the purportedly anomalous Pharmally pandemic deals. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/01/22/senate-panel-wants-michael-yang-deported-for-tax-evasion-pharmally-links">Senate panel wants Michael Yang deported for tax evasion, links in Pharmally deals</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/20/21/deport-michael-yang-palace-says-nothing-proven-vs-trader">Deport Michael Yang? Palace says &#x27;nothing criminal&#x27; proven yet vs ex-Duterte adviser</a></li></ul><p>Yang was among individuals recommended by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to be charged with violation of the Plunder Law and the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for supposedly plundering public funds meant to address the pandemic.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/01/22/senate-blue-ribbon-seeks-raps-vs-duque-pharmally-execs-over-pandemic-deals">&#x27;Public funds plundered&#x27;: Senate committee seeks raps vs Duque, Pharmally execs</a></li></ul><p>According to Hontiveros, Yang is an undesirable alien since he never paid taxes, based on the Blue Ribbon Committee&#x27;s probe on the issue.</p><p>&quot;Nag-facilitate sila ng mga illegal na transaksyon sa overpriced pandemic supplies alang-alang sa isang bago at undercapitalized na dayuhang kompanya, sa detriment pa ng mga Pilipinong kompanya na may track record, may kapasidad, nag-o-offer ng dekalidad na produkto, at mas mura pa,&quot; she said.</p><p>Yang had denied actively facilitating the transaction between Pharmally and the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service, saying he only introduced &quot;friends&quot; to Pharmally executives to aid in the pandemic supply deals.</p><p>In 2017, a Malacañang video showed Yang introducing Duterte to Pharmally officials. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/22/21/gordon-yang-involved-in-anomalous-pharmally-deals">Gordon: Ex-presidential adviser Yang involved in anomalous Pharmally deals</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/02/22/lending-money-not-a-crime-lawmaker-defends-michael-yang">&#x27;Lending money not a crime&#x27;: Lawmaker defends Michael Yang</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/28/21/yang-denies-lending-money-to-pharmally-despite-testimonies">Michael Yang denies lending money to Pharmally officers amid testimonies, says he only gave connections</a></li></ul><p>In its partial report, the committee said that Pharmally won some P11 billion in government contracts from 2020 to 2021 for face masks and COVID-19 test kits, even though it was only incorporated in 2019 and only had a capital of about P625,000.</p><p>The Blue Ribbon Committee said the government &quot;favored an unqualified, undercapitalized company&quot; that was assisted by Yang.</p><p>Hontiveros said she is hoping the DOJ and the Office of the Ombudsman will initiate an investigation of their own even though the entire Senate has yet to approve the panel&#x27;s preliminary report on the Pharmally probe.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/10/14/21/what-the-facts-all-about-pharmally">What the facts: All about Pharmally</a></li></ul><p>Duterte has repeatedly defended several officials involved and said the Pharmally deals were above board. He told senators though they can &quot;crumple&quot; the firm.</p><p>The President also threatened to personally campaign against Sen. Richard Gordon, who led the probe, while calling the Blue Ribbon Committee&#x27;s investigation a &quot;waste of time.&quot;</p><p>Gordon is running for senator in this year&#x27;s elections. He denied the probe was meant to propel his reelection bid.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Robert Mano, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1916649" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the DOJ to facilitate the deportation of ex-presidential adviser Michael Yang for allegedly evading taxes and over his links with the purportedly anomalous Pharmally pandemic deals. 