(Eagle News) — Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano on Wednesday, Nov. 7, urged President Rodrigo Duterte to fire Michael Yang as his economic adviser.
According to Alejano, Yang, who was a Chinese national, “may have access to confidential and sensitive information which could affect national security” in his current post.
He said Yang “has close connections with the Chinese government which we have standing territorial disputes and tense diplomatic relations with.”
“Further, it allows a foreigner to influence national policies particularly economic ones,” Alejano said.
“In the end, having a Chinese national in the upper echelons of decision-making in the government speaks of the pro-China stance of the Duterte administration as opposed to the independent foreign policy that it is touting,” he added.
Based on published documents, Yang was appointed as economic adviser to the President from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018, and from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.
