’’I don’t want any punk being smugged and thumbing his nose at the Filipino people.’’
Senator Richsrd J, Gordon issued the statement during a lengthy interview by Senate reporters where he said the Republic of the Philippines or any private citizen could file deportation against Michael Yang, the former economic adviser of President Duterte.
Yang is embroiled in Gordon’s Blue Ribbon committee public hearing on the controversial award of billions of pesos worth of medical supplies to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation last year and this year.
Gordon said the facts are clear in that Linconn Ong, Pharmally director, testified that Yang financially helped or acted as guarantor of Pharmally for Pharmally to be able to bag billions of pesos of COVID 19-related medical supplies from the Procurement Service Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) although it had only a paid up capital of P625,000.
While Gordon said there was ‘’intrinsic overpricing,’’ Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon described the outflow of P42 billion of COVID-19 response funds of the Department of Health from PS-DBM to the many suppliers, including Pharmally as ‘’premeditated plunder.’’
Yang admitted that he is not a Filipino citizen but a permanent resident.
Gordon said a visa for one to stay or reside in the Philippines is a privilege granted by government and this could be withdrawn.
He said one could be deported if he has insulted the Filipino people; it he has stolen from Filipinos; and has violated the people’s rights.
Gordon said his committee already ‘’strongly established’’ its case against the ‘’whole network, the whole cabal.’’
Although he believes in the integrity and capability of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Gordon said he is ‘’risking being reversed by him’’ on a possible Yang deportation case.
Asked on the overview of his committee hearing, Gordon said ‘’it all leads to Malacanang.’’
‘’Who appointed (resigned PS-DBM chief Lloyd Christopher) Lao? Who saw Pharmally (In Davao city in 2017)? Who is attacking the Senate? Who is attacking the COA (Commission on Audit)?’’ he asked.
Since senators had revealed their Assets and Liabilities Networth (SALN), ‘’why not the President?’’ he added.
‘’Bitawan mo na si Lao (keep away from Lao), save your presidency, bitawan muna si Yang, bitawan muna si Lao unless kumita kayo (keep away from Yang, keep away from Lao, unless you make a killing),’’ he stressed.
Gordon asked aloud whether the Filipino people have been kind to him.
Yang has been a resident of Davao for several years.
Asked if he would initiate deportation proceedings against Yang even as his committee resumes its hybrid public hearing on Friday and given Yang’s closeness to President Duterte, Gordon replied: ‘’Not yet.’’
‘’Not yet. It speaks for itself,’’ Gordon on what would his committee recommend at the end of its inquiry.
Gordon said that cases of corruption being probed by his committee is ‘’stupendously enormous that it defies the imagination of sensible people.’’