Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Former president Rodrigo Duterte's economic adviser Michael Yang better provide the answers when he gets grilled at the House of Representatives on the issue of illegal drugs. 

Thus, said House Assistant Majority Leader Ako Bicol Rep. Jil Bongalon, even as he chided Yang for being linked left and right to alleged illegal activities. 

"Well, let us have a brief history of who is Michael Yang," Bongalon said in a press conference Monday, May 13. 

"As mentioned, he was involved in a very controversial corruption case allegedly with regard to the Pharmally and Michael Yang used to be the adviser, economic adviser of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and kung makikita natin ngayon nasasabi na naman yung pangalan niya dito sa isang drugs case (and now we see his name being mentioned in a drug case)," he said. 

"So parang lahat ilegal, so wala hong magandang naii-attribute ano sa pangalan ni Michael Yang," noted Bongalon, a lawyer. 

(So it's like everything is illegal, so nothing good is being attributed right now to Michael Yang's name.) 

Over the weekend, Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs confirmed that his panel had invited Yang for alleged links to the P3-billion drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga last year.  

“I guess when we speak of serious cases like drugs, I guess the administration, the government, should really look into this controversy, lalong-lalo na nadadawit na naman ang pangalan niya (especially since his name is being involved again)," Bongalon said of Yang. 

ALSO READ: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/12/house-drugs-panel-eager-to-get-answers-from-ex-duterte-presidential-adviser-yang


“This guy, ang nakikita natin na talagang marami ang kailangang sagutin, dahil nai-involve ang kanya pong pangalan sa iba-ibang issues. Even during the previous administration, meron na po siyang mga kinakaharap na kaso,” he added. 

(We can really see that he needs to answer a lot of things, since his name is involved in different issues. Even during the previous administration, he had faced different cases.) 

“The government should really take this seriously lalong lalo na sa usapin ng droga (especially on the issue of drugs). Talagang kailangan po managot ang mga kriminal at gumagawa po ng ilegal dito sa ating bansa,” Bongalon declared. 

(Criminals who do illegal activities in our country must be held accountable.)