Lawyer laments senators allegedly making fun of Michael Yang's language problem

The legal counsel of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang on Sunday called disheartening the senators who made fun of Yang's language problem during the Senate investigation into the use of COVID-19 funds.

During a Dobol B TV interview, Attorney Raymund Fortun explained that Yang, who is a Chinese businessman, can only understand Filipino but cannot speak the language.

"'Yung tao (Yang) 22 years na nandito sa Pilipinas, for sure may na-pick up na siyang Tagalog. Probably kayo basta napunta kayo sa Iloilo na ganu'n kayo katagal, you would be able to understand small words," Fortun said.

(Yang has already been in the Philippines for 22 years. For sure he picked up some Tagalog words. Probably if you went to Iloilo that long, you would be able to understand small words.)

"Nakakaintindi sila ng Tagalog pero hindi nakakapagsalita ng Tagalog," he added.

(They can understand Tagalog but cannot speak Tagalog.)

Fortun then cited how some senators reportedly laughed at Yang.

"The person is Chinese. You let him speak sa kanyang known dialect," he said.

"Ang problema, 'yung Senado pinagtatawanan pa e. It is very disheartening from very intelligent individuals na hindi porke ikaw ay nandito sa Pilipinas nang ganito katagal automatically kaya mo magsalita ng Filipino," the lawyer also said.

(The problem is the Senate is laughing at him which is very disheartening from very intelligent individuals that just because you live in the Philippines, automatically, you can speak their language.)

At one point in the interview, Yang's legal counsel also clarified that the Senate allowed Yang to use an interpreter during the Senate inquiry.

But senators then questioned the interpreter, Fortun lamented.

"Why is it noong patapos na 'yung hearing, suddenly kinukuwestiyon 'yung use ng interpreter? You allow a person and then babawiin mo?" he added

(Why is it when the hearing was about to end, they suddenly questioned the use of an interpreter? You allow him to do so then you take it back?)

After being served with an arrest warrant, Yang finally attended the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the Department of Health's use of COVID-19 funds. 

Yang's camp denied allegations that it had links to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, the company which bagged billions worth of government contracts for procurement of allegedly overpriced medical goods.

GMA News Online contacted Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Richard Gordon and member Franklin Drilon but they have yet to send their statements.

In response to Fortun's claims, Senator Panfilo Lacson said he could not remember senators making fun of Yang.

"Maybe I missed it but I don’t remember any senator making fun of Michael Yang, much less his language problem," Lacson said in a text message to GMA News Online.

"As far as I am concerned, I propounded to ask my questions as direct to the point as possible," he also pointed out.

He added that it was Yang who was evasive on Senate's questions.

"It was Michael Yang who was evasive, actually lied on many points during his testimony. That’s why I had to remind him and his interpreter that he was under oath," Lacson also pointed out. —KG, GMA News