Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said they will work with a witness who will provide information on the alleged syndicate involved in government procurement of overpriced pandemic supplies.
“Apparently, mayroon talagang sindikatong involved and you’ll be surprised. We are working on something that would further open up itong kaso ng Pharmally,” Lacson said in an ANC interview.
(Apparently, there really is a syndicate involved and you will be surprised. We are working on something that would further open up this case on Pharmally.)
“We haven’t talked to the person yet, but he already manifested his intention to fully cooperate,” he added.
Once this witness testifies before the Senate blue ribbon committee, Lacson said the issue may reveal involvements of officials from other agencies beyond the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service and the Department of Health.
“So I just hope that the chair of blue ribbon committee and my colleagues will still continue with this investigation. We are just waiting for some developments and I hope this can open up a whole lot of information,” he said.
Timeline of events
In the next hearing, Lacson said he will also present a timeline of events starting the day when resigned Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao was appointed as chief of DBM-PS.
He said this timeline will support Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s claim that there was a “premeditated plunder.”
The Senate is currently investigating the DOH’s use of COVID-19 funds in 2020.
The probe is now focused on DOH’s transfer of P42 billion funds to the DBM-PS for the procurement of face masks and face shields from different suppliers at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
The PS-DBM and its former chief, Lao, are currently in hot water due to purchase of PPEs that was also flagged by state auditors. They have denied any irregularity.
The lawmakers gave special attention to the transactions entered into by the PS-DBM with Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a small firm that only had a paid-up capital of around P625,000 but secured over P8 billion worth of government contracts for the procurement of PPEs.
Senators were also seeking information on the possible links of former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang to Pharmally.
The Senate blue ribbon committee on Tuesday cited Yang in contempt. It likewise issued a warrant of arrest against President Rodrigo Duterte’s former economic adviser and five officials of Pharmally. — RSJ, GMA News
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