Inimbitahan ng House Committee on Dangerous Drugs sa susunod nitong pagdinig ang naging Presidential Economic Adviser ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na si Michael Yang.
Kaugnay ito sa imbestigasyon ng komite ni Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, sa tatlong bilyong pisong halaga ng iligal na droga na nasabat sa Mexico, Pampanga noong nakaraang taon.
Lumabas sa imbestigasyon na ang Empire 999 na kompanyang may-ari ng warehouse kung saan natuklasan ang droga ay pagmamay-ari ng mga Chinese national.
Isa rito si Lincoln Ong, na nagsilbing interpreter ni Michael Yang, sa mga imbestigasyon ng Pharmally scandal.
Lumabas sa pinakahuling pagdinig nitong May 8 na isa si Ong sa incorporator ng mga kompanyang may kaugnayan sa Empire 999.
Sa presentasyon ni Public Accounts Chairman Joseph “Caraps” Paduano, lumalabas na may kaugnayan si Yang kay Ong.
Kaya upang malinawan sa ugnayan ng dalawa, nag-mosyon si Public Order Chairperson Dan Fernandez na padaluhin si Yang sa susunod na pagdinig.
“This matter has now gone from a simple illegal drug smuggling to a national security concern. We need to establish the link between these companies and Michael Yang, the financier of Pharmally. It is not as simple as it seems. These personalities and their interests are so intertwined and intricately woven in an elaborate multi layered company structure that resembles a maze deliberately designed to avoid detection and ultimate liability in case the scheme is discovered,” sabi ni Barbers.
Natuklasan din na karamihan sa mga incorporators ng mga kompanya ay mga Chinese national na nakakuha ng pekeng dokumento upang palabasin na sila ay Pilipino.
“The activities of the other companies have not been unearthed yet but the incorporators have gone into hiding already and have started disposing their assets. There is more than meets the eye. We intend to get to the bottom of this issue in order to find out if indeed the drug bust is just the tip of the iceberg,” dagdag ni Barbers.
Ilan sa mga indibidwal na inimbitahan ay hindi pa rin nagpapakita sa komite at hindi rin mahagilap ng mga awtoridad.
“I always say that we have no problems with Chinese nationals doing legitimate business in our country. But doing these illegal drug activities is another story. We have extended all invitations to these people and observed due process. They never showed up. Even the law NBI could not locate them. There is a saying that flight is indicative of guilt. If they are really innocent, we urge them to come out and explain their roles in the labyrinth they created,” wika pa ng kongresista. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
