Senators听to get to the bottom of听questionable purchases from听Pharmally听听听
THE SENATE听Blue Ribbon Committee听will not stop until it untangles and identifies personalities involved in the questionable billions worth of medical equipment contracts awarded to a new company,听Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said听on Monday.听听听
In a press conference, she said they听will听鈥渢race the dots no matter how far鈥澨齣t may lead.听听听
A former undersecretary,听Lloyd C. Lao, was head of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS) when the purchases were made from听Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.听听
Ms. Hontiveros said in Filipino that if Mr. Lao chooses not to be honest,听鈥渢here鈥檚听a possibility that we cite him for contempt.鈥澨齌he senator added that听if he is afraid and can be persuaded to talk, the听Blue Ribbon听Committee can help him听get听protection in exchange for his cooperation.听听
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, in a separate statement,听said the mystery backer of Mr. Lao and听Pharmally听Pharmaceutical is the听鈥渕issing link鈥澨齮hat will connect the dots in the corruption scandal that involved听funds for the coronavirus response.听听听
鈥淲e see a pattern of corruption that was perpetrated by Lao and his cohorts. It cannot be done by Lao alone. He is covering for someone, and we need to find out who,鈥澨齅r. Drilon said in听mixed听English and Filipino. The听鈥渃ircumstantial evidence would show patterns of corruption,鈥澨齢e added.听听
鈥淚t seems Pharmally has friends in high places,鈥澨齅s. Hontiveros听said.听听
Mr. Lao was appointed to the DBM听in Aug. 2019 despite a pending extortion case when he was chairman of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.听He headed the听DBM-PS听starting听Jan. 2020. The Department of Health transferred a P42-billion fund to DBM-PS in March 2020 for the procurement of medical supplies such as face masks.听听
Records show听Pharmally听Pharmaceutical was听registered听in Sept. 2019 with the Securities and Exchange of Commission (SEC) with a paid capital of only P625,000.听听听
Based on Pharmally鈥檚听2020听financial statement submitted to the SEC,听the company鈥檚听income听stood at听P285 million from zero in 2019. Its assets also jumped to P285 million in 2020 from P599,000听the previous year.听听
Ms. Hontiveros called on DBM听to stop accepting proposals from听Pharmally听Pharmaceutical听given听its close links to听Pharmally听International Holdings Corp., a Taiwanese听firm whose chairman has been听charged with financial fraud.听鈥斕Alyssa Nicole O. Tan听
