(POLITIKO) Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada scoffed at the claim of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang’s brother Tony Yang that he does not know how to speak Filipino or English.
Tony Yang was summoned to the Senate’s investigation on illegal offshore gaming activities on Tuesday (Sept. 24), after his arrest at Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week for being an undesirable alien.
Grilled by senators about his alleged link to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO), Yang said he could only answer the questions in Chinese.
The Senate invited a translator to ask questions to him and to understand Yang’s answers.
“Alam mo, ginagago tayo nitong Chinese national na ito. Marunong kang mag-Tagalog at Bisaya eh!” Estrada said.
Estrada said Yang was only pretending not to know Filipino to delay the proceedings and to deceive the Senate.
“Kunyare lang na di ka marunong eh! I know you understand Tagalog. Ginagago mo kami eh. You’re making a fool out of us Filipinos here,” Estrada said.
During the hearing, senators looked into Yang’s alleged use of his steel plant Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation in Cagayan De Oro city as an illegal POGO hub.
Yang also owned Oro One Inc., a customer relations service provider for Xionwei Technology, a POGO hub linked to Michael Yang’s business partner Lin Weixiong.
Michael Yang and Lin Weixiong are the officials involved in the overpriced Pharmally pandemic supply contract during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Michael Yang meanwhile served as economic adviser to Duterte.