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.