Batangas: Batangas Rep. Gerville 'Jinky Bitrics' Luistro on Wednesday pressed for a separate and full-scale investigation into the Michael Yang-Sammy Uy network as alleged by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Luistro made the call after the House Committee on Justice found that the transactions it tested from Trillanes' sworn statement matched official records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

According to Philippines News Agency, Luistro emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that the section of Trillanes' claims involving alleged payouts and the names tied to them now demands far more than passing mention in a committee hearing. Luistro pointed out that the names mentioned in the payout involving millions, such as Michael Yang and Sammy Uy, are significant due to the large amounts of money involved.

She elaborated that the pattern suggested by Trillanes' statement indicates something systematic, rather than isolated transactions. Luistro argued for a deeper investigation to uncover the full extent of the network, identify those involved, understand how money is moved, and determine its source.

Luistro highlighted that the April 22 hearing marked a pivotal moment where Trillanes' old allegations transitioned from being considered as mere rumors to being validated by official documents. The process of checking the annexes of Trillanes' sworn statement found that 19 randomly selected transactions matched AMLC records, which Luistro described as confirmation rather than coincidence.

For Luistro, this development transformed the nature of the discussion, as allegations previously dismissed as gossip were now substantiated by official evidence. She noted that when the SALN record, AMLC findings, and Trillanes' narrative are examined together, they all point in the same direction, necessitating further investigation into the matter.