Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (PPAB)

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers took a swipe at the legal counsel of Chinese businessman Tony Yang for questioning the conduct of lawmakers as well as the “criminal matrix” presented during the latest hearing of the House quad-committee (quad-comm).

Barbers, the overall chairman of the quad-comm, told lawyer Raymond Fortun that he should have considered all the available information before considering a client linked to criminal activities.

“Sa aking palagay, maging mabigat ito na rason bago ako mag-consider ng aking kliyente, kung para sa akin ha,” Barbers said in an interview.

(In my opinion, this would be a significant reason before I consider my client, at least for me.)

“Siguro dapat tignan niya muna kung ano ‘yung character ng kaniyang kliyente (Maybe he should first look at the character of his client),” he added. 

Fortun earlier accused lawmakers of acting as “both prosecutor and judge” when the quad-comm revealed a “criminal matrix” that put his client, Yang, at the center of alleged several illegal activities.

“I am very interested in how they can prove this criminal network in court,” said Fortun.

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During the hearing on Friday, Sept. 27, the four-way joint panel presented a detailed matrix that unraveled Yang’s connections to illicit activities, including that of illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), and other high-profile Chinese businessmen.

Barbers says this matrix is still a theory that needs thorough investigation. However, he noted that “circumstantial evidence will prove that our theory is somehow correct”.

“That’s the reason why mayroon pong matrix na ginawa ang aming kumite at ipinakita namin ito. Hindi po para kami ang maging judge and jury kundi…ito ay magiging lead na kung saan magiging basehan ng mga government agencies na dapat pong mag-imbestiga dito,” he explained.

(That’s the reason why our committee created and presented a matrix. It’s not for us to act as judge and jury, but rather to serve as a lead for government agencies that should investigate this.)

Aside from his links to illegal POGOs, Yang is also being investigated for illegal drugs and smuggling.

Tony Yang is the elder brother of Michael Yang, who is the ex-economic adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte. 

Michael Yang and his associate Allan Lim were the supposed leaders of the expansive criminal syndicate as shown in the criminal matrix.