‘’Show us some respect.’’
Opposition Francis ‘’Kiko’’ N. Pangilinan on Thursday, Oct. 28 issued this statement to show his consternation at Michael Yang, a millionaire and former economic adviser of President, during today’s public hearing by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on the alleged financial assistance given by Yang to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation that eventually bagged more than P10 billion in alleged overprice contracts given by the Procurement Service of Department of Budget and Management.
Pangilinan said he was piqued when Yang ‘’openly yawned’’ during the seven-hour hearing chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.
Through a committee-appointed interpreter, Yang, a native of China, said he was tired and offered his apology.
Both Gordon and Pangilinan are in agreement that Yang is evasive and his lying is incredulous. Yang had been served subpoenas twice.
After cross-examining Yang on several corporate matters, Pangilinan said Yang is ‘’not upfront’’ and is saying ‘’half truths.’’
Gordon said that is his sad experience with Yang although he tried to be friendly.
He noted that Yang continues to be evasive although two witnesses had testified that he financially helped Pharmally get a series of multi-billion-peso contracts although its paid up capital was only P625,000.
One of them is Linconn Ong, Yang’s interpreter and a Pharmally director.
At present, Ong is detained at the Senate security office for being uncooperative to the committee and for failing to submit corporate documents so that senators could scrutinize the financial inflows and outflows of Pharmally.
When Gordon pressed Yang for answers on his financial status, Yang told Gordon to ask his accountant.
When Gordon asked who is his accountant, Yang said the accountant was hired by one of his companies.
Pressed by Gordon on details about this, Yang this depends on the company, adding ‘’you will have to ask.’’
Gordon said Yang’s ‘’gallows humor’’ is totally not acceptable.
Asked by Gordon where he went to school, Yang said he has a ‘’EMBA’’ in finance at Xinhua University in Beijing.
Yang also said he got a certification from Princeton when he attended its program in Beijing.
Asked where he finished his high school, Yang said he does not remember.
‘’He is slippery like an eel,’’ Gordon said.
It was at this point that Gordon asked the interpreter to write down Yang’s academic background.
Gordon said Yang’s ‘’appointment’’ as Duterte’s ‘’special adviser on foreign affairs’’ was meant to lay the ground work for Duterte’s visit to China, rivaling the expertise of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and the Philippine Ambassador to China, Chito Sta. Romana.
Gordon said a Filipino would never get such an appointment in the court of Chinese President Xi Jingping.