Michael Yang's lawyer says Senate confusing 2017 Palace meeting with 2020 supply procurement

The legal counsel of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang on Sunday said senators were confusing Yang's meeting at the Palace in 2017 and the government supply procurement in 2020.

Senator Richard Gordon previously showed a 2017 photo of Yang and President Rodrigo Duterte having a meeting with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation officials who were linked to the purchase of reportedly overpriced medical equipment for COVID-19 response.

But Attorney Raymund Fortun, Yang's lawyer, said the Chinese businessman was meeting up with Pharmally Biological Incorporated in 2017, which is different from the 2020 pandemic supply procurement. 

"Nagkakaroon ng confusion ang Senado na pinagdidikit 'yung 2017 na incident sa Palasyo at ito pong 2020 na negotiation para sa pandemic supplies. Magkaiba po iyon," Fortun said over Dobol B TV.

(They are having confusion because they are linking the 2017 incident from the negotiation of pandemic supplies. Those are different events.)

Nevertheless, Fortun said Yang will continue to cooperate in the Senate hearing on the Department of Health's use of COVID-19 funds, which also includes the government's procurement of reportedly overpriced COVID-19 supplies.

Yang will also attend the continuation of the Senate probe on Monday, Sept. 13, Fortun further pointed out.

During the Senate hearing, however, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Pharmally Biological Inc., is a sister company of Pharmally Pharmaceutical, which bagged billions of government contracts for procurement of COVID-19-related supplies. 

Hontiveros moved to issue a subpoena against Rose Nono Lin, the incorporator of Pharmally Biological. Her motion was also approved by the Senate committee. —KG, GMA News