Duterte denies Chinese businessman is his economic adviser

President Rodrigo Duterte denied on Tuesday that Chinese businessman Michael Yang is his economic adviser.

“[He] cannot be because he’s a Chinese,” Duterte told reporters in Malacañang.

In his website www.opea.com.ph, Yang claimed to be Duterte’s economic adviser.

Yang, who owns the Davao City Los Amigos store, has been seen in several photos with the President, including during the chief executive’s visit to China in 2016.

Duterte earlier cleared Yang from illegal drug links during a speech at the Palace as he cited the close ties between the businessman and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua.

READ: Palace explains Duterte didn’t link Chinese Ambassador to ‘drug lord’

He even said Yang joined the entourage of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang when the he visited the Philippines. /atm