Michael Yang, former president Rodrigo Duterte’s former economic adviser, is clearly a central figure in Chinese intelligence operations in the Philippines, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Tuesday, November 26.
Hontiveros made the remark during the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality’s final hearing on the illegal activities of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) in the country.
Yang, who was also a key figure in the controversial overpriced Covid-19 supplies involving Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., was clearly behind the proliferation of POGOs in the Philippines.
“One thing is clear: POGO is a monster. Siya ay halimaw a gumagawa ng (it is a monster responsible for activities such as) human trafficking, money laundering, torture and espionage,” Hontiveros said during the hearing.
“Pero sino ang bumusog sa halimaw na ito (But who fed this monster)? Mga kaibigan (Friends), this photo was given to us by one of our key informants and it further deepens what we already know: Michael Yang is a key actor in Chinese intelligence operations here…and if reports are accurate, in drug operations here also. Michael Yang, who is a former economic adviser of the former president. Ginatasan na tayo, pinagtaksilan pa (We have been milked, and also even betrayed),” Hontiveros lamented.
Hontiveros, then, showed a photo of Yang, together with She Zhijiang, who earlier made an explosive allegations about Chinese spies and international conspiracies through an interview with Al Jazeera.
According to the senator, Chinese Communist propaganda “is right under our noses” as she pointed to the existing operation of a spa beside Newport City in Pasay—Yatai Spa—which was once associated with She Zhijiang, “but we have no knowledge if he still has controlling interest” in the spa.
Hontiveros said a QR code that was freely available in the establishment yielded a result directing mobile users to “Hongsheng” “to support overseas bosses.”
“I don’t know if this is the Hongsheng of Guo Hua Ping in Bamban,” Hontiveros said referring to former Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo who is now facing qualified human trafficking charges before the local courts following her involvement in the POGO operations in a Bamban POGO hub.
“But nothing surprises me anymore at this point,” the lawmaker said.
Hontiveros said the QR Code also directs internet users to watch a video containing a mishmash of anti-US statements and a call to serve the motherland.
At the same time, Hontiveros also expressed the possibility that POGO compounds are also being utilized as troll farms to sow disinformation to the public.
“Nagimbal din ako sa impormasyon (I was also shocked about this information), which confirms some of my earlier theories that scam cities are used to sow disinformation campaigns to influence hearts and minds.
“Mukhang hindi lang sugal, scam at trafficking ang pakay ng mga compound na ito, kundi fake news din (Not onlygambling, scam and trafficking are the activities in these compounds, but also fake news too),” she said.
Hontiveros said she would not be surprised it the attacks and threats against her and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, come from POGO operations.