MANILA – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) cleared former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang from any involvement in illegal drug trade.
PDEA Public Information Office chief Derrick Arnold Carreon said in a press conference they found no evidence to establish links of Yang to illegal drugs, as claimed by former Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto.
Carreon added that the “Michael Yang” identified in Acierto’s intelligence report hailed from Pangasinan, while Duterte’s former economic adviser was based in Davao.
“Kami naman po we looked into our National Drug Information System, which may kapangalan po [si Yang] but it was traced to an information in Region 1. So taga-Pangasinan po ‘yun,” Carreon said.
“We asked our Regional Office 1 to validate this further… and looking into it, hindi naman po naiugnay ‘yung personality na based in Pangasinan dun kay [Yang na ex-economic adviser],” the PDEA official added.
PDEA chief Aaron Aquino, in a television interview on Wednesday, said the former economic adviser of the President has been cleared of illegal drug allegations.
“As of now, he is clear. I believe the President. Michael Yang is clear until such time may makuhang evidence na ma-pinpoint pero sa ngayon wala kaming makitang ebidensya,” Aquino said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.
He added: “Based dun sa information na nakalap mula sa (Davao) regional director kay Michael Yang, wala silang nakikitang involvement ni Michael Yang related sa illegal drugs.”
Yang’s alleged involvement in illegal drug trade resurfaced after Acierto said Duterte dismissed an intelligence report on Yang’s link to illegal drugs.
Acierto added that Duterte and then PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa has blocking further investigation against Yang, who was allegedly linked to another Chinese national Allan Lim to the narcotics trade./PN
