Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Wilkins Villanueva absolved former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang, who is at the center of the Senate probe on the alleged anomalous transaction in the procurement of face masks and face shields, of any illegal drug connections in Davao City.
In a briefing with the President aired on Sept. 14, Villanueva identified the personalities involved in the illegal drug links in Davao City pointing out that Michael Yang was not in the said list.
He identified them as Joey Co, Alex Co and Alan Sy as the coddlers of fugitive Henry Tan who escaped the PDEA custody in 2002.
He noted that Sy was the local pointman of the operator of a clandestine while Joey Co is the financier of the group and his brother Alex was the contact of the Manila and Visayas based drug syndicates.
Villanueva revealed that Tan and Alex Co remain at large while his brother Joey is dead with Sy missing.
“Kahit hagilapin mo lahat (personalities involved), Sir, walang Michael Yang diyan (Even if you look at it intensely, Sir there is no Michael Yang there),’’ Villanueva told President Duterte.
Villanueva’s revelation dismissed the allegations of sacked police officer Eduardo Acierto of Yang’s links to the Davao City drug syndicates.
“Ano ang allegation ni Police Superintendent Acierto? Na si Michael Yang is involved sa clandestine laboratory ng Davao City. Nothing in all of those case operation plans (reveal) that Michael Yang came up doon sa part of the personalities (What was the allegation of Police Superintendent Acierto? That Michael Yang is involved in a clandestine laboratory in Davao City. Nothing in all of these case operation plans revealed that Michael Yang came up as one of the personalities),’’ he added.
Villanueva noted that Acierto was his former classmate at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1988 but the latter graduated the following year in 1989.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is currently investigating the government contract with Pharmally for state purchase of P8 billion medical supplies amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Vice President Leni Robredo earlier hit the Duterte administration for dealing with fugitives and people with alleged drug links for the supply of protective equipment for COVID-19.