MANILA - A Chinese businessman was placed as Pharmally's financial manager to guarantee that the company will pay Michael Yang in the future the money he lent them, Pharmally's chairman said on Tuesday.
Huang Tzu Yen told Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, that Lin Weixiong, the husband of Pharmally Biologicals executive Rose Nono Lin, became the financial manager so that Yang, a former economic adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte, is assured he will get paid.
In September, Huang admitted that Pharmally borrowed money from Yang for their pandemic supply deals with the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).
"For the purpose of returning and safeguarding that guarantee, that payback once collection was made, yes, he (Lin) was appointed financial manager," Huang said during the continuation of the Blue Ribbon Committee's hearing on the Pharmally deals on Tuesday.
Video from the Senate of the Philippines
Huang noted that Ong and Yang also "had an agreement" regarding the loan extended by the latter to Pharmally.
He said that his company sought Yang's help as guarantor of supplies and for funds. He clarified though that Yang was not involved in most of Pharmally's operations.
"I think he mentioned in a few occasions, there's a clause of confidentiality in it, and that if both sides are willing to disclose this, then I believe it can be disclosed," said Huang.
Gordon said the development establishes the link of Yang to Pharmally.
Yang denied lending money and said he only introduced "friends" to Pharmally "to provide the goods."
He also confirmed he signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Linconn Ong, Pharmally's director.
Pharmally's corporate secretary and treasurer Mohit Dargani confirmed earlier that Lin is the firm's financial manager, and was placed there by their board of directors.
The board, Dargani said, is composed of him, Ong (director), Twinkle Dargani (president), Huang (chairman), and a certain Justin Garado (director).
"Ibig sabihin niyan, alam niya ang lahat ng nangyayari... Si Linconn Ong ang... igor ni Michael Yang," Gordon said during Tuesday's hearing.
(That means he knows all of what's happening. Linconn Ong is the sidekick of Michael Yang.)
Gordon earlier showed photos of Lin with Duterte, Go, and Yang. Some senators alleged that Lin also goes by the name of Allan Lim, who is supposedly a drug personality.
Rose Lin said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) already clarified that Allan Lim and Lin Weixiong are different people in the agency's list.
The businesswoman earlier said her husband is a business partner of Yang.
Rose Lin, in previous hearings, admitted seeing luxury cars, out of nowhere, in their garage. But she maintained these car purchases are legal.
Rose Lin was not in the hearing to explain their side. She had said her husband is currently in Dubai since April, and is supposedly recuperating from COVID-19.
Some senators alleged that Pharmally was favored by the government in awarding pandemic supply contracts since last year because of its links with Duterte through Yang. They also accused the firm of offering overpriced items.
Gordon had said that public funds wasted on anomalous transactions could have been used for the benefits of health workers who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the frontlines.