MANILA — The House of Representatives on Wednesday mandated the arrest and detention of Michael Yang, a former adviser to President Rodrigo Duterte, due to his repeated failure to respond to summonses related to his alleged involvement in a PHP3.6-billion drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga in 2023.
According to Philippines News Agency, the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs issued a contempt order against Yang for disregarding the panel's summons. Despite efforts by House Sergeant-at-Arms Napoleon Taas and his team to serve the arrest warrant at Fortun-Law Offices in Las Piñas City, Yang was not found. Yang has been linked to Empire 999 Realty Corp., which owns the warehouse where the drugs were seized.
The House committee, chaired by Surigao 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, determined that Yang violated specific House rules regarding the refusal to obey summonses without legal excuse. Consequently, Yang is ordered to be detained at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City for 30 days. During a press conference, Barbers suggested that Yang might have fled the country, with last reports indicating he could be in Dubai.
Barbers stated that the committee is coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Foreign Affairs to track Yang's movements internationally. The aim is to keep other countries alert about his arrest warrant. This international coordination is crucial as Yang, linked through an associate to multiple companies involved in illegal activities, is considered central to understanding the intricate drug smuggling operations connected to Empire 999.
In previous hearings, former Philippine National Police (PNP) Colonel Eduardo Acierto accused Yang of involvement in illegal drug activities and alleged that high-ranking officials, including former President Duterte and other national figures, disregarded reports of Yang's illegal activities. Acierto also claimed that his life was threatened due to his disclosures about Duterte’s alleged connections with Yang and other individuals involved in the drug trade.