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Duterte, PDEA clear ex-adviser Michael Yang of drug ties

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a national address at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on Aug. 30, 2021, He shows a document with a photo of his former economic adviser Michael Yang, who allegedly introduced him to owners of Pharmally, a firm that bagged pandemic contracts. Richard Madelo, Presidential Photo/File " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/08/31/20210830-duterte-iatf-minb11.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a national address at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on Aug. 30, 2021, He shows a document with a photo of his former economic adviser Michael Yang, who allegedly introduced him to owners of Pharmally, a firm that bagged pandemic contracts. <em>Richard Madelo, Presidential Photo/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte and the anti-drug agency denied anew that his former adviser Michael Yang had ties to the narcotics trade. </p><p>The President&#x27;s defense of Yang, a Chinese businessman, comes as the latter faces a Senate probe for his alleged ties to a firm that supplied alleged overpriced medical goods to the government when the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year. </p><p>In 2019, former Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto, who once served as the officer-in-charge of the now-defunct Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, claimed Yang and a certain Allan Lim were behind the large shabu laboratory discovered in Davao City in 2004.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/25/19/ex-pnp-official-says-duterte-adviser-involved-in-illegal-drugs">Ex-PNP official says Duterte adviser involved in illegal drugs</a></li></ul><p>This was denied by several officials including then Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, then PNP chief Oscar Albayalde and then Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/27/19/a-different-michael-yang-duterte-aide-says-acierto-got-the-wrong-guy">A different Michael Yang? Duterte aide says Acierto got the wrong guy</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/26/19/pnp-chief-clears-duterte-adviser-of-drug-links">PNP chief clears Duterte adviser of drug links</a></li></ul><p>On Monday PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said Yang was not implicated in any the files on a 2004 operation that discovered a clandestine drug laboratory in Davao City, Duterte&#x27;s hometown, contrary to Acierto&#x27;s claim. </p><p>&quot;Kahit hagilapin mo sa lahat ‘yan, sir, walang Michael Yang d’yan,&quot; Villanueva told Duterte in a taped meeting that aired on Tuesday. </p><p>(Even if you get hold of all that, sir, there is no Michael Tan there.)</p><p>&quot;Ito namang (this) Senate… if it’s drugs, let it come from the mouth of the PDEA,&quot; said Duterte. </p><p>The President said Acierto was dismissed by the Ombudsman for the importation and sale of some 1,000 firearms to rebels. </p><p>He also alleged Acierto &quot;has so many kidnappings in his record.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ang (the) tragedy is you are listening to him. I do not understand why the Senate is listening to a witness by the person of Acierto,&quot; said the President. </p><p>&quot;You are a fraud actually,&quot; he added of Acierto, who had led the defunct Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force. </p><p>The President first defended Yang as early as 2018, citing the latter’s ties with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/05/18/duterte-clears-businessman-being-linked-to-illegal-drugs">Duterte clears businessman being linked to illegal drugs</a></li></ul><p>He again defended Yang the following year after Acierto surfaced and linked the former presidential adviser to Allan Lim. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/26/19/duterte-blasts-ex-cop-who-linked-chinese-adviser-to-illegal-drugs">Duterte blasts ex-cop who linked Chinese adviser to illegal drugs</a></li></ul><p>Last week, Yang told members of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee that he knows a certain Lin Wei Xiong but does not know if he is the same Lin Wei Xiong/Allan Lim tagged in illegal drug activities.</p><p>He was then shown several photos of Allan Lim but Yang could not confirm if it was the same Allan Lim that he knew since 2013.</p><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=1772098" 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><p>Yang - who has a warrant of arrest from the Senate - skipped a Blue Ribbon hearing on Monday, where he was expected to answer lawmakers&#x27; questions about his involvement in the allegedly questionable transactions of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp with the Department of Budget and Management&#x27;s Procurement Service.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/14/21/doj-urged-place-michael-yang-on-immigration-watchlist">Senate panel asks DOJ to place Michael Yang on Immigration watchlist, issue hold departure</a></li></ul><div><strong>DUTERTE, YANG, PHARMALLY </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=1773801" 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><p>The President earlier <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/11/21/duterte-defends-pharmally-amid-senate-probe" target="_blank">defended Yang</a> from the Senate probe, saying the businessman was only a &quot;middleman&quot; for Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp., which bagged some P8.6 billion in government contracts when it had no track record of delivering quality and reasonably-priced materials. </p><p>&quot;Siyempre may negosyo, nakikisali, negosyante e. Ano mang magawa mo?&quot; Duterte said of Yang last week. </p><p>(Of course, there&#x27;s business, he joined, he&#x27;s a businessman. What can you do?)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/10/21/pharmally-exec-admits-borrowing-money-from-michael-yang-for-ps-dbm-deal">Pharmally exec admits borrowing money from Michael Yang</a></li></ul><p>&quot;What is clear is that there was this contract, there was delivery, kumpleto lahat, specifications at quantity, quality, and all. Tapos after delivery bago pa nagbayad ang Pilipinas,&quot; he added. </p><p>(What is clear is there was a contract, there was delivery, specifications were complete in terms of quantity and quality. The Philippines paid after the delivery.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/13/21/pharmally-delivered-500000-face-masks-ahead-of-purchase-order">&#x27;Pharmally delivered 500,000 face masks ahead of purchase order&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>In his latest taped meeting, Duterte said, &quot;Hindi ko maintindihan &#x27;tong mga senator na &#x27;to. Anyway, there will be a time for reckoning.&quot; </p><p>(I cannot understand these senators.)</p><p>&quot;I plead for fairness sa mga tao na tinatawag ninyo,&quot; he told senators. &quot;Pag ganoon ang style n’yo, lahat ng taga-gobyerno, sabihin ko, &#x27;wag na kayong magpunta d&#x27;yan sa Senate.&quot; </p><p>(I plead for fairness to the people you summon. If that is your style, I will tell all government workers, do not go to the Senate.) </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/10/21/senate-orders-arrest-of-michael-yang-pharmally-exec">Senate orders arrest of Michael Yang, Pharmally exec</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/13/21/michael-yang-skips-blue-ribbon-hearing-cites-health">Michael Yang skips Blue Ribbon hearing, cites health </a></li></ul>

President Rodrigo Duterte and the anti-drug agency denied anew that his former adviser Michael Yang had ties to the narcotics trade. 

Duterte, PDEA clear ex-adviser Michael Yang of drug ties

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Duterte, PDEA clear ex-adviser Michael Yang of drug ties

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 14, 2021 12:35 PM PHT

|

Updated September 14, 2021 04:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Michael Yang

Michael Yang Duterte

Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte drugs

Duterte drug war

Acierto

Duterte Acierto

Michael Yang Pharmally

Senate probe

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