Pharmally exec recants confirmation on swindling gov鈥檛 in face shield supply听
AN EXECUTIVE of听a pandemic supply company under congressional probe has taken back a statement made before the Senate that the听firm听delivered expired face shields to the听government.听听
Krizle Grace Mago, regulatory affairs head of Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp.,听said in a House听of Representatives committee听hearing Monday that she was not in the听鈥渂est frame of mind鈥澨齱hen she gave the recanted听response to the Senate听Blue听Ribbon听Committee.听听
鈥淎fter the Senate hearing, I realized that the delivered items had not been inspected yet and, as a result, had not been allocated and distributed to the end-users. Additionally, we did not receive any payment from the government for the partial delivery,鈥澨齭he听told the House Committee on听Good Government and Public Accountability.听听
She said it听was a听鈥減ressured response.鈥澨
Senator Richard J. Gordon, Sr., in a Sept. 24 hearing, asked Ms. Mago if Pharmally swindled the government, to which she replied, 鈥淚 believe so, Mr. Chairman. I believe that is the case.鈥听
The question came after Senator Ana Theresia听鈥淩isa鈥澨齆. Hontiveros-Baraquel showed a recorded video of a Pharmally warehouse worker who testified that the certificates for听two听million face shields that expired last year had been replaced with new certificates dated 2021.听听
Ms. Mago admitted the practice, saying it had the blessing of the company management,听particularly Pharmally Treasurer Mohit Dargani, who听denied the allegation.听听
Ms. Hontiveros said the testimony was vetted for weeks and the witness was not paid any money after the lawyer of Pharmally听Director Linconn Ong said that the senator鈥檚 office bribed the warehouse worker.听听
Ms. Mago voluntarily placed herself under the protective custody of the House of Representatives on Friday to听鈥渉elp (her) speak freely without unnecessary compulsion.鈥澨听
Days prior, she could not be contacted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee following her revelation听on the face shields.听听听
Ms. Hontiveros, in a statement Monday, hit back at Ms. Mago鈥檚 retraction and recommended a review of the Senate committee proceedings.听听听
鈥淟et us remember that Ms. Mago was under oath when she was speaking before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing. Questions were only directed to her and she, in fact, answered forthrightly,鈥澨齮he senator said.听听
鈥淚f there is anyone pressuring her, it must be someone powerful for her to take back what she initially told us,鈥澨齅s.听Hontiveros听added in Filipino.听听
House lawmakers, mostly allies of the current administration,听have insisted that the government鈥檚 deals with听Pharmally听were above board.听鈥斕齊ussell Louis C. Ku听
