Detained Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation director Linconn Ong on Friday dared the senators to just file charges against them regarding the missing financial documents of their firm as he insisted that they are not aware of its whereabouts.
During the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon investigation into the government’s alleged anomalous purchases of COVID-19 supplies, Senator Risa Hontiveros encouraged Ong to change his behavior towards the senators and provide the boxes of documents that the panel is seeking.
She pointed out that the Pharmally officials have around two weeks to locate the boxes of documents as they are still undergoing a 14-day quarantine before they join the other inmates at the Pasay City jail.
“Mr. Chairman, Madam Senator, napadala na talaga kami sa kulungan e, we’re not criminals. ‘Yung mga files na ‘yan I really don’t know kung saan man sila (We have been sent to jail. We’re not criminals. I really don’t know where the files are),” Ong replied to Hontiveros.
“But since the chairman [has the] conclusion kanina, siguro file-an ninyo na lang po kami ng kaso kasi nagsa-suffer po talaga kami sa kulungan di naman po kami criminal (maybe just file charges against us because we are already suffering inside the cells eventhough we are not criminals),” he added.
Hontiveros expressed dismay over Ong’s remarks, saying it is “impossible” for Pharmally, which bagged billions worth of contracts, to become unaware of the documents’ whereabouts.
“I am convincing you, ibigay ninyo na sa kumite ‘yung tao na may hawak ng mga dokumento na ‘yon para makuha na naman at mapag-aralan (give the committee the identity of the people who handle the documents so that we could get it and study it),” she said.
At this point, Senate blue ribbon chairman Richard Gordon intervened and asked Ong: “Do you think we want you to be in jail? You think we’re punishing you?”
Responding to the senator, Ong begged for Gordon’s mercy, asserting that they are not criminals.
But Gordon insisted that the Senate blue ribbon panel “must be just.”
“I’m asking you, if you have nothing to hide then you say so… You may not be a criminal that shoots people or steals from them when they’re sleeping, but you are nonetheless going to be treated like a criminal because you’re violating the law when you do not answer and you do not produce documents,” the senator said.
“Do not try to get awa. Wala kayong makukuhang awa. Before we can give awa, kailangan may katarungan muna (You won’t get any mercy. Before we can give you mercy, we should be just first),” he added.
In response, Ong told Gordon: “You really heavily investigating us…Please allow us to cooperate with the investigation.”
Ong and Pharmally treasurer and corporate secretary Mohit Dargani were transferred to the Pasay City jail after they failed to provide the committee the whereabouts of the boxes containing the documents related to the firm’s financial statements.
The Senate panel is conducting its 16th day of investigation into the transfer of P42 billion COVID-19 funds from the Department of Health to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).
This includes PS-DBM’s purchase of P8.6 billion worth of face masks, face shields, and PPEs from Pharmally, a firm that only had a P625,000 paid-up capital when it entered transactions with the government.—AOL, GMA News
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