MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) will issue this Tuesday an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against former presidential adviser on economic affairs Michael Yang, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
In a Viber message to reporters, Guevarra also confirmed that he earlier released an ILBO against Lloyd Christopher Lao, who is the former chief of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), and seven other personalities upon the request of Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Guevarra said the ILBO against Yang will be issued as requested by Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee that investigates the pandemic expenses of the Department of Health (DOH) under the PS-DBM.
“Yes, I received Senator Gordon’s letter today. As requested, the DOJ will issue an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) on the person of MICHAEL YANG, also known as YANG HONG MING,” Guevarra told reporters in a Viber message.
“I have earlier released an ILBO addressed to the BI (Bureau of Immigration) covering Lloyd Christopher Lao and seven others, as requested by Senate President Sotto III,” he also said.
Aside from Lao, the DOJ has issued an ILBO against Overall Deputy Ombudsman Atty. Warren Rex Liong and Pharmally executives Twinkle Dargani, Huang Tzu Yen, Krizle Grace Mago, Justine Garado, Linconn Ong, and Mohit Dargani.
“In view of the gravity of the matters subject of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, as the issue involved is of national interest, and considering the possibility that the aforementioned individuals may attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of the legal processes by leaving the country, this Department deems the issuance of an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against them prudent in order to monitor the itineraries of their travel and/or their whereabouts, should they attempt to leave the country,” Guevarra said in his directive to the BI.
“It should be noted, however, that an ILBO is for monitoring purposes only, and it is not, in and of itself, a sufficient prohibition for a subject’s departure from the Philippines,” he added.
To recall, Yang’s name floated in a Senate investigation after an RTVM video was played showing the Chinese businessman and officials of Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. meeting President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao in 2017.
Senators have questioned Pharmally, one of the suppliers tapped by the PS-DBM, for bagging over P8.6 billion worth of contracts for medical supplies in 2020 despite being only several months old and having just P625,000 in paid-up capital.