Raps readied to prevent Tony Yang deportation

Tony Yang, the brother of Michael Yang, who was an economic adviser during the Duterte administration, attends the Senate probe on Pogo hub on Tuesday. —Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities are working on the criminal cases to be filed against the brother of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic adviser Michael Yang to prevent his deportation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday.

Yang Jian Xin, also known as Tony Yang, was arrested last week at Ninoy Aquino International Airport after arriving from Cagayan de Oro City.

The 54-year-old Yang, who also uses the alias Antonio Lim, is facing a deportation case for undesirability and misrepresentation, after allegedly misrepresenting himself as a Filipino and falsifying information in the registration of Philippine Sanjia Corp., a steel company he had set up in Cagayan de Oro.

While it would be easier to deport him, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said filing a criminal case must now take precedence to thoroughly investigate his connections with illegal activities involving Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos).

READ: Michael Yang’s bro Tony named ‘true architect’ of their ‘operations’

“Deportation would be the most convenient option, but we wouldn’t be able to solve anything at all,” Remulla told reporters.

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty, who heads the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, said the National Bureau of Investigation and prosecutors in Northern Mindanao are examining minor charges, such as falsification and illegal use of an alias, to be filed against Yang.

During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Yang admitted to being a Chinese national who illegally acquired Filipino citizenship to establish companies in the country and secure documents issued only to Filipinos, such as a gun license, a tax identification number, and a birth certificate.

But he denied being involved in any Pogo.

Starting to talk

In Congress, dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo finally provided critical information that supported the “theory” of a Senate panel investigating crimes associated with Pogos, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said on Wednesday.

Hontiveros said Guo shared the information during a brief closed-door meeting held after the six-hour proceedings on Tuesday.

However, she said that she was not content with the mayor’s revelation.

“But there was one crucial personality confirmed by Guo Hua Ping. This corroborates a theory that the committee shared a month ago,” she said, using Guo’s supposed real Chinese identity.

Hontiveros earlier cited Guo for contempt twice for being evasive in the Senate hearings.

‘A good start’

On Tuesday, the senator granted Sen. JV Ejercito’s proposal to let Guo speak behind closed doors, as earlier requested by her lawyers
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Ejercito said he was optimistic that Guo would be truthful in her next Senate appearances.

The executive session was an “icebreaker” from the usually tense proceedings, he added.

“At least, it’s a good start. I think it’s important that Guo will be at ease first,’’ said Ejercito who declined to detail what the ex-mayor said in the closed-door meeting.