‘NATATAKOT SILA’ | Officials involved in Pharmally deals can’t escape accountability, says Gordon

October 22, 2021 , 03:52 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(October 22, 2021) – “You can run, but you can’t hide.”

Sen. Richard Gordon on Thursday had this to say to the people involved in the anomalous procurement of COVID-19 supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Gordon, head of the Senate blue ribbon committee, said the mounting evidence from their investigation would help build a case against those who took part in the shady transactions. He vowed to continue the probe even if many of the invited resource speakers have already refused to attend.

“Every step of the way, sumisikip nang sumisikip ‘yung kanilang highway, at natatakot sila, atras sila nang atras, and mahuhuli sila ultimately,” said Gordon on One News’ The Chiefs.

Senators on Tuesday ordered the detention of two executives of the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation—president Twinkle Dargani and corporate secretary Mohit Dargani—for refusing to submit the subpoenaed documents. The Dargani siblings have not surrendered.

Mr. Mohit, in a statement, parroted President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks by accusing senators of using the probe for “political gain” ahead of the 2022 elections. He also lamented being “treated like criminals” after being grilled for their deals with the Department of Budget and Management.

“The Blue ribbon (committee) failed to treat us justly,” said Mohit in a statement. “Rather than impartially listening to us, they tried to get us to incriminate ourselves. They want us detained because we asserted our rights, they can’t get what they want to hear from us.”

In its preliminary report, Gordon’s panel said there was a “grand conspiracy (that) could never have happened without the imprimatur of the President.” Duterte has close ties to some of those involved in the issue, like his former economic adviser Michael Yang and former DBM undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao.

Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation obtained P11.7 billion worth of contracts for face masks, face shields, and test kits with the government last year. Senators questioned it because the company only had a paid-up capital of P625,000. Yang was reportedly the firm’s guarantor and financier.

Duterte has unleashed a series of personal attacks against Gordon and some of the other senators leading the investigation. He also ordered his Cabinet officials to refrain from attending the hearings without his consent, an act that legal experts said violates the separation of powers.

Gordon said they will question this memorandum.

Senate preparing query on Duterte Cabinet memo, Gordon says

#TheChiefs | The Senate will question President Rodrigo Duterte’s memorandum barring Cabinet secretaries from attending the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings on Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation’s pandemic deals with the government.

Posted by ONE News on Thursday, October 21, 2021

Despite this, Gordon said they will keep their focus on unearthing more details about the dubious deals.

“Ang pupuntahan ko, lumabas ‘yung katotohanan at ‘di ako papapigil at pati na lahat ng mga kasama ko,” vowed Gordon. “We are convinced na talagang may nangyari ritong napakalaki at karumal-dumal at talagang inapi ang bayan.”

(PM)

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