MANILA - Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Monday there was "premeditated plunder" in the mismanagement of the Department of Health's COVID-19 funds.

The senator earlier questioned why a certain Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation was able to get P8.68-billion worth of contracts despite only having a capital of P625,000.

• Drilon wants Ombudsman to probe ex-DBM official over pharma firm contracts
• Drilon asks DBM: Why spend P8.68B for 'overpriced' items from company without track record?

He also flagged the DOH's transfer of P42 billion to the procurement service of the Department of Budget and Management.

• DOH transferred P42B to Budget department 'to mask unobligation rate, inefficiency': Drilon
• Duque: DOH P42-B fund transfer ‘legal’ due to COVID-19 crisis

"'Yung paglipat ng P42 billion at ginawang pambili ng equipment at sinabi ng PS-DBM ito po ay common use supplies...hindi naman tayo doktor pero siguro magkaiba naman ang ballpen at face mask at face shield," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(The transfer of P42 billion funds which was used to buy equipment descirbed by PS-DBM as common use supplies...I'm not a doctor but I think ballpens and face masks and face shields are different from each other.)

"Talaga pong may pingtatakpan at sinabi ko nga this is a planned plunder, a premediated plunder...Pinagplanuhan talaga ang pagnakaw ng pera ng taumbayan."

(There's really a coverup and as I said this is a planned plunder, a premediated plunder...They really planned to steal the people's money.)

Drilon has also urged the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to look into why electronics companies "were able to close P2-billion worth of face mask deals" with the DBM's procurement service.