While somebody whose name was prominently and repeatedly mentioned during the Senate hearings as the alleged financier of the syndicate is apparently missing in the list of those recommended for indictment, it is still good enough to commend the Ombudsman for this latest development.
That being said, I am willing to concede that maybe the evidence is not sufficient to establish probable cause against him.
*****
Kumbinsido si Senador Ping Lacson na nilabag ng dating OIC ng Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) na si Lloyd Christopher Lao ang Anti-Graft Law dahil sa pagbibigay nya ng malalaking kontrata sa Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. kahit na walang pinansyal na kapasidad ang kumpanya base sa kanilang Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC).
Sa Senate Blue Ribbon hearing hinggil sa iregularidad sa procurement ng medical supplies bilang pag-responde sa pandemya, inilahad ni Lacson na ang Pharmally ay may net working capital na P599,450 at maaari lamang itong bigyan ng kontrata na nagkakahalaga ng P5.994 milyon.
Ngunit sa kabila nito, nakuha ng Pharmally ang una nitong kontrata na nagkakahalaga ng P13.86 million – mahigit doble sa maximum na maaari nilang makuha – at nakakuha pa ng pangalawang kontrata na nagkakahalaga ng P54 milyon, lahat sa loob lamang ng isang taon base sa mga dokumento na ibinahagi ni Lacson sa pagdinig.
Related: Lacson: Ex-PS-DBM OIC Lao Violated Anti-Graft Law with Huge Pharmally Contracts
Continue reading “Ping: Ex-PS-DBM OIC Lao, Sabit sa Anti-Graft Law”
Lloyd Christopher Lao, ex-OIC of the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM), violated the Anti-Graft Law by giving Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. huge contracts way beyond its Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC), Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson bared Thursday.
At the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on irregularities involving the procurement of medical supplies to deal with the Covid pandemic, Lacson said Pharmally had a net working capital of P599,450 and could only be given a maximum contract of P5.994 million.
Yet, Pharmally bagged its first contract amounting to P13.86 million – more than twice the maximum – and even got a second contract amounting to P54 million, all within the same year, Lacson said, citing documents so far obtained during the hearing.
Related: Ping: Ex-PS-DBM OIC Lao, Sabit sa Anti-Graft Law
Continue reading “Lacson: Ex-PS-DBM OIC Lao Violated Anti-Graft Law with Huge Pharmally Contracts”
Hindi na nga sapat ay lalo pang pinalupaypay ng korapsyon ang pagtugon ng gobyerno sa lumalalang pananalasa ng Delta variant ng COVID-19.
Ito ang nagdadalamhating pahayag ni Senador Panfilo Lacson sa kasalukuyang estado ng mga hakbang ng pamahalaan sa paglaban sa pandemya kasabay ng pagsasalarawan na nakakapanlumo, nakakadismaya at nakakagigil ang mga nalalantad sa imbestigasyon ng Senado sa mga iregularidad sa pagbili ng mga gamit sa paglaban sa COVID-19.
Isiniwalat ni Lacson sa panayam sa kanya ng ANC na kabilang sa mga iregularidad na ito ay ang nabigong pagtatangka ni dating Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service head Christopher Lao para i-reclassify bilang “confidential” sa ilang mga empleyado ng ahensya.
“While the Delta variant is to be blamed, ang ma-blame mo rin government response. We’re not responding accordingly sa prevailing situation. To make matters worse, may corruption involved. Naroon ang problema,” ayon kay Lacson.
Continue reading “Ping: Pagtugon ng Pamahalaan sa Delta Variant Pinalubha ng Korapsyon”
Corruption is weighing down the government’s already insufficient response to the heightened threat from COVID-19 due to the Delta variant of the coronavirus, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson lamented Thursday.
Lacson described as “disheartening, frustrating and revolting” the signs of corruption that have emerged so far in the Senate’s investigation into irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
These irregularities range from the failed attempt of former Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service head Christopher Lao to reclassify some employees as “confidential” to the Food and Drug Administration’s changing the rules on procurement, Lacson said in an interview on ANC.
“While the Delta variant is to be blamed, ang ma-blame mo rin government response. We’re not responding accordingly sa prevailing situation. To make matters worse, may corruption involved. Naroon ang problema (While the Delta variant is to be blamed for our situation now, government response is not free from blame because we’re not responding accordingly to the prevailing situation. To make matters worse, there is corruption involved. There lies the problem),” he said.
Continue reading “Lacson: Corruption Worsening Government Response to Delta Variant”
Nasesentro sa Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) ang malawakang pananamantala sa pondong pantugon sa COVID-19 pandemic na kinasasangkutan ng ilang grupo at personalidad.
Ito ang nakikitang dahilan ni Senador Panfilo Lacson para mas laliman pa ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee ang ginagawa nitong imbestigasyon sa mga iregularidad ng Department of Health (DOH) at bigyan ng ibayong atensiyon ang papel na ginampanan ng PS-DBM.
“Maliwanag naman may tinutumbok tayo rito na large-scale corruption. What makes it worse, sa gitna ng pandemya, may kumikita,” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam ng DWIZ radio.
“At ang perang ito galing sa utang. Di ba magagalit ka?” dismayadong banggit pa ng mambabatas.
“Hindi natin dapat ito tatantanan!” diin ni Lacson.
Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: Plot Thickens on PS-DBM Role in Large-Scale Corruption amid Pandemic
Continue reading “Ping: PS-DBM, Tumbok sa Malawakang Korapsyon sa Pondo ng Pandemya”
The plot thickens on the large-scale corruption by some parties exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic – and the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) is turning out to be a major player.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson thus stressed Saturday the need for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to dig deeper on the role of the PS-DBM as it continues to investigate irregularities at the Department of Health (DOH).
“Maliwanag naman may tinutumbok tayo rito na large-scale corruption. What makes it worse, sa gitna ng pandemya, may kumikita (It is clear that we are looking at large-scale corruption here. What makes it worse is that this is happening with some unscrupulous parties making gains for themselves right in the middle of a pandemic),” Lacson said in an interview on DWIZ radio.
“At ang perang ito galing sa utang. Di ba magagalit ka (Making matters even worse is that the money involved came from loans. Shouldn’t we taxpayers get angry over this)?” he added.
“Hindi natin dapat ito tatantanan (We should continue to pursue this to its logical conclusion)!” Lacson stressed.
Basahin sa TAGALOG: Ping: PS-DBM, Tumbok sa Malawakang Korapsyon sa Pondo ng Pandemya
Continue reading “Lacson: Plot Thickens on PS-DBM Role in Large-Scale Corruption amid Pandemic”
Maaring may sabwatang naganap o nagpabaya si dating Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) chief Lloyd Christopher Lao sa pag-award ng kontrata para sa pagbili ng face masks, face shields at personal protective equipment (PPE) sa isang kumpanya na kakatatag pa lamang.
Ito ang nakita ni Senador Panfilo Lacson matapos ang pagtatanong kay Lao sa pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee na tinalakay ang pagpuna ng Commission on Audit (COA) sa mga transaksyon ng Department of Health (DOH).
“Either there was lack of due diligence for reasons of collusion, or they are sloppy. I don’t know what to believe. Being the head of the PS-DBM, a trained and experienced procuring entity of government, yet not even detecting a fake address by the incorporators, I wonder how they were able to award the procurement of billions of pesos of items,” banggit ni Lacson sa nabanggit na pagdinig.
“You are dealing with billions of pesos worth of public funds… Your explanation will fail even an ordinary layman. We cannot accept that,” seryosong banggit ng senador kay Lao.
Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: Former PS-DBM Head Failed to Do Due Diligence on Supplier
Continue reading “Ping: Nagbitiw na Pinuno ng PS-DBM, Naging Maluwag sa Face Shield, Face Mask, PPE Supplier”
There was either a collusion – or an appalling lack of due diligence by former Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) chief Lloyd Christopher Lao in awarding a multibillion-peso contract involving face masks, face shields, test kits and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to a newly incorporated company.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson raised these possibilities Friday after pinning Lao during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearing on red flags raised by the Commission on Audit on the Department of Health’s transactions.
“Either there was lack of due diligence for reasons of collusion, or they are sloppy. I don’t know what to believe. Being the head of the PS-DBM, a trained and experienced procuring entity of government, yet not even detecting a fake address by the incorporators, I wonder how they were able to award the procurement of billions of pesos of items,” Lacson said.
“You are dealing with billions of pesos worth of public funds… Your explanation will fail even an ordinary layman. We cannot accept that,” he also told Lao.
Basahin sa TAGALOG: Ping: Nagbitiw na Pinuno ng PS-DBM, Naging Maluwag sa Face Shield, Face Mask, PPE Supplier
Continue reading “Lacson: Former PS-DBM Head Failed to Do Due Diligence on Supplier”
