Hontiveros hopes Pharmally probe will get enough signatures
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Monday that she hopes that the partial Senate Blue Ribbon committee report on the investigation into the controversial multi-billion peso deal between Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. and the government will receive enough signatures from members of the upper house.
Only eight members of the Blue Ribbon, including Hontiveros, have so far signed the Pharmally probe, according to presidential aspirant and senator Manny Pacquiao.
READ: Pacman: 8 Senators have so far signed Pharmally report
Those who have signed the 113-page report are Senators Gordon, Pacquiao, Panfilo Lacson, Leila de Lima, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Francis Pangilinan, Hontiveros and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.
"A lot of evidence surfaced [during the Pharmally hearings] and we have no doubts about the recommendations as long as they are clarified. Yes, I am hopeful that there will be enough signatures," Hontiveros said in Filipino in a virtual briefing.
The report can only be tackled in the plenary if it is able to secure signatures of the simple majority or at least 11 committee members.
The partial Pharmally probe, released to reporters last week, recommended that charges may be filed against President Rodrigo Duterte for the "betrayal of public trust", after he decided to appoint foreign national Michael Yang as an economic adviser to the president in 2018, discredited the Commission on Audit and Senate, and ordered a "patently-illegal" memorandum barring his officials from attending the Senate's hearings, among others.
Duterte is immune from suits while he is in office.
READ: Gordon seeks signatures for Pharmally probe report; Pacquiao indicates support
Hontiveros believes this recommendation may be a point of concern for other senators who have not yet signed the report.
"It's possible that it might be their concern. But from the start, you can see the dotted line from the Department of Health going to the PS-DBM (Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management, going to Pharrmally... then to the backer Mr. Michael Yang. All of us are wondering, what was the role of the president here?" she said.
She added that accountability, which is expected from all government officials, "has no expiry date."
"It doesn't have any term limit. As long as we are working for the government, we are accountable to what we do and what we don't do," she said.
The senator said that the final committee report can still evolve based on amendments and interpellations.
Hontiveros, who is running for senator again in this year's elections, is the chair of the women, children, family relations and gender equality committee.
Follow this page for development on the government's allegedly overpriced pandemic response deals.
Photo credit: Screen grab from Senate of the Philippines YouTube page
The House committee on good government and public accountability recommends the filing of syndicated estafa against directors and officers of Pharmally, Rep. Michael Aglipay (DIWA Party-list) says.
The House panel recommends filing the charges against Huang Tzu Yen, Mohit Dargani, Twinkle Dargani, Lincoln Ong, Justine Garado and Krizle Mago before the Department of Justice.
The committee also recommends the filing of falsification of public documents against Jorge Mendoza II and Mervin Ian Tanquintic of the PS-DBM Inspection Division before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Pasay City jail is prepared for the transfer of Pharmally executives to its facility, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology says.
BJMP spokesperson says the prison does not have a separate facility except for the isolation area intended for newly committed persons deprived of liberty as part of health protocols.
"Walang special treatment. Walang preferential attention para sa kanila," BJMP spokesperson Xavier Solda says.
Ahead of today's hearing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque tells the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that no officials from the DOH will able to attend.
Duque says this is because the memorandum barring them from attending hearing connected to the investigation is still in effect.
The DOH chief adds that President Rodrigo Duterte directed them to "give way to equally important COVID-19 response activities." — report from Bella Perez-Rubio
LOOK: Ahead of today's hearing, Health Secretary Duque told the panel that no officials from his department will be able to attend.
— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) October 19, 2021
He says this is because the memorandum barring them from attending hearings connected to the probe is still in effect. | via @BellaPerezRubio pic.twitter.com/6nEykxvEoB
In a House hearing, Pharmally's Krizle Mago claims that her previous statement that the firm switched out the expiry dates of face shields sold to government was a "pressured response."
Senate President Tito Sotto, however, says they will leave it to the Ombudsman to assess later on.
"A statement made under oath incriminating oneself has more weight than a recantation," Sotto says. — Bella Perez-Rubio
House blue ribbon panel chair Mike Aglipay says that Pharmally executive Krizle Grace Mago has just been placed under protective custody of the chamber’s sgt-at-arms.
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