MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) will issue this

Tuesday an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against former

presidential adviser on economic affairs Michael Yang, according to
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

In a Viber message to reporters, Guevarra also confirmed that he earlier

released an ILBO against Lloyd Christopher Lao, who is the former chief
of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and
Management (PS-DBM), and seven other personalities upon the request of
Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
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Guevarra said the ILBO against Yang will be issued as requested by

Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee that
investigates the pandemic expenses of the Department of Health (DOH)
under the PS-DBM.
“Yes, I received Senator Gordon’s letter today. As requested, the DOJ will
issue an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) on the person of
MICHAEL YANG, also known as YANG HONG MING,” Guevarra told
reporters in a Viber message.

“I have earlier released an ILBO addressed to the BI (Bureau of

Immigration) covering Lloyd Christopher Lao and seven others, as
requested by Senate President Sotto III,” he also said.

Aside from Lao, the DOJ has issued an ILBO against Overall Deputy
Ombudsman Atty. Warren Rex Liong and Pharmally executives Twinkle
Dargani, Huang Tzu Yen, Krizle Grace Mago, Justine Garado, Linconn
Ong, and Mohit Dargani.

“In view of the gravity of the matters subject of the Senate Blue Ribbon
Committee hearings, as the issue involved is of national interest, and
considering the possibility that the aforementioned individuals may
attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of the legal processes by
leaving the country, this Department deems the issuance of an
Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against them prudent in order to
monitor the itineraries of their travel and/or their whereabouts, should
they attempt to leave the country,” Guevarra said in his directive to the
BI.

“It should be noted, however, that an ILBO is for monitoring purposes

only, and it is not, in and of itself, a sufficient prohibition for a subject’s
departure from the Philippines,” he added.

To recall, Yang’s name floated in a Senate investigation after an RTVM

video was played showing the Chinese businessman and officials of
Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. meeting President Rodrigo Duterte in
Davao in 2017.

Senators have questioned Pharmally, one of the suppliers tapped by the

PS-DBM, for bagging over P8.6 billion worth of contracts for medical
supplies in 2020 despite being only several months old and having just
P625,000 in paid-up capital.
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