Former President Rodrigo Duterte attends the House quad comm hearing on Nov. 13, 2024. (Photo from House of Representatives Media Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to kill businessman Michael Yang, his former economic adviser, if there is evidence linking him to the illegal drug trade.
Duterte mentioned this on Wednesday at the eleventh hearing of the House of Representatives quad committee, when asked by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro about Yang’s alleged involvement in the drug trade.
“Michael Yang is known to be close to you, Mr. Duterte, and in fact during Mr. Duterte’s time he was appointed as economic adviser. But here Mr. Chair, our resource person mentioned that Mr. Yang had a role in the illegal drug trade … How much do you know Michael Yang?” Castro asked.
“Michael Yang is the owner of a big department store in Davao City … I was the one who cut the ribbon for his department store. And every businessman, whatever your background is, whatever, what hell you came from, if you want to have a picture with me, I will gladly oblige you, even the criminals,” Duterte said.
“You know, do not confuse your … just because they are Chinese, and they suspect you, Michael Yang is out there, he has not been arrested, there is no dossier shown to me. But if there is one, I will kill him, no need for the police, I will kill him myself,” he added.
Castro then clarified if Duterte would indeed kill Yang if he found out that Yang was involved in the drug trade.
“If there is evidence that he is involved in the illegal drug trade, you will kill Michael Yang?” Castro asked in Filipino.
“Yes, believe it,” Duterte replied in Filipino.
Duterte even said that he would call Castro to be a “witness to a murder.”
“If there’s evidence, you will kill him?” Castro asked again.
“Yes, I will call you to accompany me,” Duterte replied in Filipino.
“No, I don’t want to be like you, involved in killings,” Castro said in Filipino.
“No, I’ll let you come with me, you will be a witness to a murder,” Duterte fired back.
Michael Yang — MALACAÑANG FILE PHOTO
Revelations from former police officials, like retired colonel Royina Garma’s claims about the existence of a rewards system in the Duterte administration’s drug war, have bolstered lawmakers’ belief that there were irregularities in the operations.
According to Garma, Duterte called her in 2016 about the creation of a task force that would implement the so-called Davao template on a nationwide scale. The Davao template, Garma said, involved providing cash grants worth P20,000 to P1 million to cops who killed drug suspects.
READ: Garma says Davao drug war template, rewards system applied in entire PH
Yang’s name was mentioned several times in the hearings, particularly in the quad committee’s investigation into the illegal drug trade.
Previously, quad committee co-chairperson and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez showed a matrix that allegedly links Yang to individuals like Aedy Yang, Willie Ong, Jack T. Yang, Yang Hua Huang, and a Cai Ji Ru who figured during the different hearings on illegal drugs and Philippine offshore gaming operators.
READ: Solons’ matrix links Yang, Pharmally to Pampanga warehouse owners, drugs
Yang was cited for contempt by the House committee on dangerous drugs, headed by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the quad committee lead presiding officer.
READ: Michael Yang cited for contempt, ordered arrested by House panel