MANILA, Philippines – Chinese businessman Michael Yang, who claims he is a presidential adviser for economic affairs, is not consulted on economic matters.

That is according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who was asked on Monday, October 22, how he views Yang and the businessman’s supposed position.

“I don’t meet him on economic matters and I am the chairman of the economic development [cluster]. So if I don’t meet him, I guess he’s not [an economic adviser]. Thank you,” Dominguez said in an interview after the Senate hearing on the proposed 2019 budget of the Department of Finance.

Yang’s name was first publicized because of President Rodrigo Duterte himself, who mentioned that the businessman is close to Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua.

Duterte made the statement because he wanted to clear Yang of drug links, after the President was presented with a “dossier” on the businessman that alleged he was either a drug addict or a drug pusher.

“Hindi ‘yan totoo. Matagal na ‘yan sa Davao (The allegation is not true. He’s been in Davao for a long time),” the President said on October 4.

It turned out Yang has close ties to Duterte and has been seen in Malacañang whenever Chinese businessmen meet with the President.

Duterte denied he ever appointed Yang as presidential adviser for economic affairs because Yang is Chinese.

Yang’s calling card and office, however, bear such a title and even Duterte’s own official seal, which is in violation of Executive Order No. 310 stating that the seal should be “exclusively used to represent the President of the Philippines.”

Detained Senator Leila de Lima has called for an investigation into Yang. She particularly wants the Senate to look into whether Yang or any other foreigners have been appointed to the government.

Republic Act No. 9225 or the Philippine Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003 states that appointed public officials cannot be a citizen of another country. – Rappler.com