2 Pharmally executives freed from Pasay jail | ABS-CBN
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2 Pharmally executives freed from Pasay jail
2 Pharmally executives freed from Pasay jail
ABS-CBN News
Published Jun 02, 2022 10:19 AM PHT
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Updated Jun 02, 2022 12:47 PM PHT
MANILA (UPDATE) - Two detained executives of the controversial Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. have been freed from Pasay City jail more than 6 months after the Senate blue ribbon committee ordered their detention.
MANILA (UPDATE) - Two detained executives of the controversial Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. have been freed from Pasay City jail more than 6 months after the Senate blue ribbon committee ordered their detention.
Footage taken by ABS-CBN News showed Pharmally officials Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong leaving the jail past 9 a.m. Thursday. This, after outgoing Senate President Vicente Sotto III signed the release order Wednesday night.
Footage taken by ABS-CBN News showed Pharmally officials Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong leaving the jail past 9 a.m. Thursday. This, after outgoing Senate President Vicente Sotto III signed the release order Wednesday night.
Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp faced investigation in both houses of Congress after it cornered P8.5 billion in contracts with the Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service (PS-DBM) between April and June 2020 despite having only P625,000 in capital.
Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp faced investigation in both houses of Congress after it cornered P8.5 billion in contracts with the Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service (PS-DBM) between April and June 2020 despite having only P625,000 in capital.
Ong and Dargani were detained because they allegedly refused to cooperate with the Senate investigation.
Ong and Dargani were detained because they allegedly refused to cooperate with the Senate investigation.
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Pharmally chairperson Huang Tzu Yen earlier told senators the company had to borrow money from Chinese businessman and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang to finance the procurement of face masks and RT-PCR test kits.
Pharmally chairperson Huang Tzu Yen earlier told senators the company had to borrow money from Chinese businessman and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang to finance the procurement of face masks and RT-PCR test kits.
Ong initially said Yang’s role was only to introduce him to Chinese suppliers but later admitted Yang also acted as guarantor.
Ong initially said Yang’s role was only to introduce him to Chinese suppliers but later admitted Yang also acted as guarantor.
Ong and Dargani could have stayed in Pasay City Jail until the end of the month, said Sen. Richard Gordon, citing the tenure of an existing Congress which is until noon of June 30.
Ong and Dargani could have stayed in Pasay City Jail until the end of the month, said Sen. Richard Gordon, citing the tenure of an existing Congress which is until noon of June 30.
Gordon, outgoing chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, made the remark after Sotto approved the release of the Pharmally executives.
Gordon, outgoing chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, made the remark after Sotto approved the release of the Pharmally executives.
“Pero there’s no disagreement. Bahala sila. I’m done. Tapos na ako… sila na lang,” said Gordon
“Pero there’s no disagreement. Bahala sila. I’m done. Tapos na ako… sila na lang,” said Gordon
(But there’s no disagreement. That's now up to them. I'm done.)
(But there’s no disagreement. That's now up to them. I'm done.)
The senator expressed his readiness to face the Pharmally executives in court following their lawyer’s threat that they would file cases against those who allegedly wronged them.
The senator expressed his readiness to face the Pharmally executives in court following their lawyer’s threat that they would file cases against those who allegedly wronged them.
“They can retaliate. I did my duty eh. I cannot be answerable. Because wala namang personal d'yan. At saka, performance of duty yan eh,” he said.
“They can retaliate. I did my duty eh. I cannot be answerable. Because wala namang personal d'yan. At saka, performance of duty yan eh,” he said.
(Nothing about that was personal. That was performance of duty.)
(Nothing about that was personal. That was performance of duty.)
Gordon, who will be focusing his energies in leading the Philippine Red Cross, said he would just leave it up to the next batch of congressmen and senators to decide whether or not to revive the Pharmally investigation.
Gordon, who will be focusing his energies in leading the Philippine Red Cross, said he would just leave it up to the next batch of congressmen and senators to decide whether or not to revive the Pharmally investigation.
The Senate ended its session Wednesday night with only 9 senators signing the Pharmally report.
The Senate ended its session Wednesday night with only 9 senators signing the Pharmally report.
“I don’t have any regret… No! I’m happy. When you’re at peace with yourself for doing the right thing, how can you be unhappy? You will be unhappy and you will be forever thinking, I should have done that. I don’t do that eh. Pero 'pag natapos na (once it's over), I did my part,” Gordon said.
“I don’t have any regret… No! I’m happy. When you’re at peace with yourself for doing the right thing, how can you be unhappy? You will be unhappy and you will be forever thinking, I should have done that. I don’t do that eh. Pero 'pag natapos na (once it's over), I did my part,” Gordon said.
“There is so much a ballyhoo. Why create a blue ribbon committee if the Senate, members will not vote? You know, they could have said, I disagree, or I will amend?”
“There is so much a ballyhoo. Why create a blue ribbon committee if the Senate, members will not vote? You know, they could have said, I disagree, or I will amend?”
In an earlier interview, both Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian explained that they refused to sign Gordon’s Pharmally report because of the inclusion of President Rodrigo Duterte among those who should be held liable for the deal.
In an earlier interview, both Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian explained that they refused to sign Gordon’s Pharmally report because of the inclusion of President Rodrigo Duterte among those who should be held liable for the deal.
Duterte had denied the medical supplies from Pharmally were overpriced and said transactions with the firm were above board.
Duterte had denied the medical supplies from Pharmally were overpriced and said transactions with the firm were above board.
His supposed link to the mess is only supported by “circumstantial evidence,” said Zubiri and Gatchalian.
His supposed link to the mess is only supported by “circumstantial evidence,” said Zubiri and Gatchalian.
The 2 senators said they would sign the report if only Gordon acceded to their request to remove the President’s name in committee report, but the latter has refused. Gordon countered this claim.
The 2 senators said they would sign the report if only Gordon acceded to their request to remove the President’s name in committee report, but the latter has refused. Gordon countered this claim.
“Why me? The committee was the one. Nine other senators agreed to that. The others were no comment because they were not active,” he said.
“Why me? The committee was the one. Nine other senators agreed to that. The others were no comment because they were not active,” he said.
“I sent a letter to everyone. Please show me your decision. And if you want to vote for it, thank you. If you don’t want to vote for it, tell me so I know… The person should not be reason for not signing. It should not be a reason."
“I sent a letter to everyone. Please show me your decision. And if you want to vote for it, thank you. If you don’t want to vote for it, tell me so I know… The person should not be reason for not signing. It should not be a reason."
He added that one could sign the report with a note saying, “I disagree, I dissent, or I will amend.”
He added that one could sign the report with a note saying, “I disagree, I dissent, or I will amend.”
Gordon said that any Filipino can file a case against outgoing President Duterte, Pharmally executives, and the current and former officials of the Department of Health and PS-DBM. But the lawmaker said he would no do it himself.
Gordon said that any Filipino can file a case against outgoing President Duterte, Pharmally executives, and the current and former officials of the Department of Health and PS-DBM. But the lawmaker said he would no do it himself.
Since contents of his penned partial Pharnally committee report has been included in the Senate’s official records, Gordon said it was up to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice to act on the matter.
Since contents of his penned partial Pharnally committee report has been included in the Senate’s official records, Gordon said it was up to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice to act on the matter.
“My wish for the country is, it should really be investigated formally now as a criminal prosecution… I don’t think nasayang 'yan. Nalaman ng tao,” Gordon said.
“My wish for the country is, it should really be investigated formally now as a criminal prosecution… I don’t think nasayang 'yan. Nalaman ng tao,” Gordon said.
--With reports from Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News
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