MANILA – Former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang on Friday showed up at the Senate blue ribbon investigation into the controversial purchase of “overpriced” medical supplies at the height of the pandemic.
The Senate earlier ordered Yang’s arrest after the blue ribbon committee cited him for contempt when he skipped the panel’s previous hearings despite being subpoenaed.
The former economic adviser is accompanied by a Filipino interpreter.
Yang, through his counsel, earlier confirmed he will attend succeeding blue ribbon hearings on the issue and requested that he be allowed the use of an interpreter.
The Senate blue ribbon committee is currently investigating the procurement of “overpriced” personal protective equipment, face masks and shields made by the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service on behalf of the Department of Health in 2020.
Among the suppliers is Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., which bagged government contracts worth over P8.6 billion in 2020 despite being only several months old and having just P625,000 in paid-up capital.
Yang was linked to the controversial procurement after a 2017 video showed him introducing Pharmally officials to President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City.
Five Pharmally officials, who were also ordered arrested by the upper chamber for skipping the committee’s hearings, also surfaced on Friday.
“Finally, the mysterious board and people we have invited have shown up,” committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon said.(©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
