THE House Committee on Dangerous Drugs on Wednesday cited one Michael Yang in contempt for repeatedly ignoring the invitations of the committee which is seeking, according chairperson Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, “to untangle the web of overlapping incorporators in several corporations with seeming ties to Empire 999.”
Empire 999 Realty Corporation is the owner of the warehouse where P3.6 billion-worth of shabu was found last year.
Barbers explained that Yang is being invited to find out if the Michael Yang mentioned in some of the incorporation papers is the same person identified in 2017 as being involved in illegal drugs.
“For the record, incorporators of Empire 999 have been repeatedly invited but none have honored the Committee’s invites,” Barbers said.
He added that subpoenas have already been issued to other incorporators, “and if they are not present, this Committee will cite them in contempt, and warrants for their arrest will be issued.”
Barbers tasked the committee secretary to coordinate with the Philippine National Police, the House Sergeant-at-Arms, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other law enforcement units to effect the arrest.
House Committee on Public Order and Safety chairperson Rep. Dan Fernandez also moved to have the Bureau of Immigration, the Department of Justice, the Interpol and the PNP informed of the committee’s decision, noting that records show Mr. Yang boarding flight EK335 to Dubai on May 12, 2024.
Local officials of Mexico, Pampanga were also invited to update the panel on the developments as regards the inspection done in all the warehouses and land ownership by foreigners in Mexico, Pampanga.
Updates from the NBI, Office of the Solicitor General, Land Registration Authority, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Philippine Statistics Authority among other agencies having jurisdictions in some of the issues raised in the hearings were also required.
The Securities and Exchange Commission informed the body that the registration of Empire 999 Realty has been cancelled as of July 9, 2024.
Wednesday’s hearing was the eighth meeting of the committee, which was conducting the probe based on House Resolution 1346, filed by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., calling for an investigation into the P3.6 billion worth of shabu seized in Mexico, Pampanga and P1.3 billion worth of shabu discovered in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Mr. Yang was formerly an economic adviser of ex-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
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