Michael Yang’s brother admits faking Filipino identity for business

MANILA, Philippines — The brother of Michael Yang, Yang Jianxin, on Tuesday, September 24, admitted being born in China and assuming a Filipino identity to operate businesses in the Philippines. 

Despite being in the Philippines for around 26 years, Jianxin spoke little to no English and Filipino, needing an interpreter for the Senate hearing. 

Jianxin said he was born in Fujian, China, and it was his maternal grandfather who arranged his move to the Philippines.

“The initial intention of my grandfather is for me to start a business here, that’s why I use English names so that I can also apply for business permits for other documentations that will be needed for the business,” Jianxin said in Chinese, translated into English by interpreter Carolyn Batay.    

Sen. Risa Hontiveros presented Jianxin’s Philippine birth certificate. Like in the case of former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, Jianxin’s birth was registered late at the Philippine Statistics Authority. 

Despite being born in 1970, Jianxin’s birth certificate was only issued in 2004. He would have been 34 years old by the time he got a Philippine birth certificate.   

The name on Jianxin’s birth certificate is Antonio Lim, and his place of birth was listed in Misamis Oriental. 

Documents from Hontiveros’ office, however, showed that the place of birth listed in Jianxin’s other IDs are different. 

The birthplace listed on Jianxin’s TIN is Cagayan de Oro. 

 “You have profited from changing your name and nationality here,” Hontiveros said. 

Jianxin was detained at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by the Bureau of Immigration on September 19.

He is the owner of steel company Phil Sanjia Corporation, which faces complaints from its employees for its failure to pay their government benefits. 

Jianxin is the brother of Michael, the former economic advisor of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Yang has also been tagged in the Phramally scandal of the previous adminsitration.