At the last Quad Committee Hearing, former mayor Jed Mabilog delivered a very crucial testimony directly implicating former president Rodrigo Duterte in extrajudicial killings.
Mabilog claimed that because he didn’t support former president Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 presidential elections,he was included in Duterte’s ‘narcolist’, thus making him and his family targets during the bloody drug war.
Now, the Quad Committee is once again inviting Duterte to come forward at the next QuadCom hearing with explanations. However, Duterte has since refused to come forward since the QuadCom hearings begun, citing inter-parliamentary courtesy.
Now that more evidence is being uncovered by the QuadCom, there is no way that the issues can ba dragged out.
Just this September 19, 2024, Tony Yang, eldest brother to Duterte’s economic adviser Michael Yang, was arrested at the NAIA for misrepresenting himself as a Filipino and falsifying information in government documents. Tony Yang is also believed to be involved in the illegal POGO in Bamban, Tarlac, as well as in illegal activities such as drug trafficking and smuggling, being a port operator in Cagayan de Oro. His company, Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation, is suspected of being a front for smuggling contraband into the Philippines.
Notably, the PHIVIDEC estate where these alleged operations took place was managed by Franklin Quijano, a loyal supporter of Duterte who used to hold the post of chairman of the National Commission of Senior Citizens.
Tony Yang’s arrest is a breakthrough, because it will finally expose the criminal syndicate hiding behind so-called “legitimate” businesses. And it’s closing in on Michael Yang, who’s been linked to a P3.6-billion drug bust; the Pharmally scandal, for financing the company that won the bid for pandemic contracts despite having insufficient capital, as well as questionable dealings involving illegal POGOs and EJKs.
We all know the truth that the Yangs, along with others in their circle, couldn’t have pulled off their operations without the personal stamp of approval from higher-ups in the Duterte administration.
This is why Tony Yang’s arrest was a breakthrough. It sends a loud and clear message that no one, no matter how powerful or well-connected, is above the law. Justice can’t be dodged, no matter how deep your ties run and even if a former sitting president (and his lackeys) are backing you.
With all the evidence that is coming – with Mabilog’s testimony and the arrest of Michael Yang’s brother-it’s time for Duterte to answer all the allegations.
