FILE – Michael Yang (first from right), also known as Yang Hong Ming, joins a group of Chinese traders during a visit to President Duterte in Malacañang in 2016, just after Mr. Duterte assumed office. —MALACAÑANG PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday maintained that Michael Yang, one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic advisers, was not involved in illegal drugs.
Dismissed former deputy director for administration of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) Eduardo Acierto surfaced on Monday and accused the President and former PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa of dismissing an intelligence report about Yang’s supposed link to illegal drugs. He accused Duterte and Dela Rosa of blocking further investigation against Yang.
READ: Ex-police official: Duterte photographed with drug-linked Chinese
Acierto showed documents detailing the supposed links of Yang and another Chinese national Allan Lim to the narcotics trade.
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Sought for comment, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo denied Yang’s drug links.
“I think it was already clarified. Even the [Chinese] Ambassador [Zhao Jianhua] has cleared Michael Yang,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“I don’t think Michael Yang was ever involved, otherwise he should be on the [drug] list or should be facing charges,” he added.
In October 2018, Duterte cleared Yang, a Davao-based businessman, of having links to the illegal drug trade.
READ: Palace: Michael Yang is one of Duterte’s consultants
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