Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday, Sept. 14 renewed her push for the Senate to investigate former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang’s alleged links to the illegal drug trade, especially now that he is the subject of its probe into the government’s procurement of supposed overpriced COVID-19 supplies.

“Ngayon na humaharap na sa Senado si Michael Yang, dapat mahalungkat ang tunay na pagkatao niya at ang lawak o saklaw ng kanyang relasyon, koneksyon at impluwensya kay Duterte (Now that Michael Yang is being asked to face the Senate, it should look deeper into his identity, the scope of his relations, connection and influence in the Duterte administration),” De Lima said in her latest statement.

The detained senator said it is imperative for lawmakers to find out the benefits Yang received out of his questionable relationship from the President.

“Sa panig naman ni Duterte, ano ang kapalit ng mga pabor na naibigay niya kay Michael Yang o sa mga nailapit nito sa kanya? Ano ang kapalit ng pakikipagkaibigan nya sa isang taong may kahina-hinalang karakter at reputasyon (In the case of Duterte, what favor or any concessions did he give to Yang? What did he get out of his friendship from a person who has a questionable character and reputation)?” she pointed out.

“Kapag mahalungkat na ang katotohanan sa mga usaping ito, sigurado ako na malaki ang magiging mga pananagutan ni Duterte (If we are able to get to the bottom of this, I’m sure we will find out Duterte’s huge liability),” she added.

Prior to the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation, dismissed police officer Eduardo Acierto had linked Yang to the illegal drug trade in 2019, along with his business partners Allan Lim and Johnson Chua, who is based in Macau.

De Lima recalled Acierto, who is now in hiding, had testified that Duterte and other allies of the administration ignored the intelligence report about Yang. Duterte also defended the latter.

Duterte, she noted, again came to the defense of Pharmally and Yang, and was also quick to defend the Chinese national in 2019 from any drug involvement, insisting he is a legitimate businessman who helped create local jobs.

In the Senate Resolution No. 1033 that she filed, De Lima said Congress should look into whether Yang’s special position as then economic adviser to Duterte may have been abused for personal benefit.

“Gusto ko ring malaman kung ano ang naging papel ni Michael Yang sa mga loan agreements na nilagdaan ng Pilipinas at China noong 2018 o panahon ng panunungkulan ni Michael Yang bilang (I also want to know what Yang’s role was in the loan agreements signed between Philippines and China in 2018 or during the time he was the) Presidential Economic Adviser,” she stressed.

“Isa rito ay yung P4.3-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project na, ayon sa ilang mga sektor, ay isang ‘onerous, one-sided’ na transaksyon (One of this is the P4.3-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project that some sectors have said is an onerous, one-sided transaction),” she pointed out.

The Senate blue ribbon committee, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, has earlier issued an arrest warrant against Yang after citing him in contempt for snubbin