DOJ, BI urged to keep eye on Yang’s travels

The Senate has officially requested the Bureau of Immigration (BI), through its mother agency, the Department of Justice, to keep an eye on former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang. 

In a letter addressed to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra dated September 13, Senator Richard Gordon asked the BI to issue Yang, also known as Yang Hong Ming, with a hold departure order, or place him under the watch list or lookout bulletin, “whichever is appropriate,” in relation to the ongoing Senate investigation on the alleged overpriced procurement of pandemic supplies.

Gordon requested the DOJ and the BI to inform the Senate blue ribbon committee whenever Yang is “about to leave, or whenever he arrives from without the country.”

The letter was also addressed to BI Commissioner Jame Morente.

The Senate panel made the request after Yang failed to attend Monday's continuation of the Senate inquiry into the allegedly overpriced COVID-19 supplies due to health reasons. His lawyer, Raymond Fortun, said his blood pressure “shot up.”

Fortun added that Yang has been instructed by his physician, Dr. Jenny Adtoon, to “remain on bed rest for five days due to hypertensive urgency.”

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, in a statement to reporters Monday, said they will issue an Immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) if they received a request from a “co-equal branch of government.”

Further, Guevarra said the DOJ is preparing to issue an ILBO on Tuesday, September 14 against eight people involved in the Senate investigation.

As to the ILBO against Yang, Guevarra said they have not received an official request yet. — RSJ, GMA News