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.
*****
Kung may “pressure” mang naramdaman ang dating admin officer ng Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. na si Krizle Mago nang humarap siya sa Senado noong Setyembre, ito ay para sabihin ang katotohanan at hindi magsinungaling.
Pinabulaanan ni Senador Ping Lacson nitong Biyernes ang pahayag ni Mago na siya ay na-“intimidate” o tila napilit na sabihing damay ang ibang opisyal ng Pharmally sa pag-uutos na pekein ang expired labels sa mga face shield.
“Na-pressure siyang magsabi ng totoo. Hindi siya na-pressure mag-lie if at all totoong na-pressure siya. She was very calm and sabi ninyo kanina, unaided lahat,” ani Lacson matapos kwestyunin si Mago sa pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa iregularidad sa procurement ng medical supplies para sa pag responde sa pandemya.
Related: Lacson Disproves ‘Intimidation’ Claim of Pharmally’s Mago
Continue reading “Ping, Pinabulaanan ang Pahayag ni Mago Hinggil sa ‘Intimidation’”
If former Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. admin officer Krizle Mago was indeed pressured during her appearance before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee last Sept. 24 as she claims, she was pressured to tell the truth, and not to lie.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson thus disproved Friday Mago’s claim that she was “intimidated” into implicating Pharmally officials in instructing a warehouseman to tamper with “expired” labels on face shields.
“Na-pressure siyang magsabi ng totoo. Hindi siya na-pressure mag-lie if at all totoong na-pressure siya. She was very calm and sabi ninyo kanina, unaided lahat (If she was pressured at all, she was pressured to tell the truth and not to lie. She was very calm and her testimony was unaided),” Lacson said after questioning Mago at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies to deal with the pandemic.
Related: Ping, Pinabulaanan ang Pahayag ni Mago Hinggil sa ‘Intimidation’
Continue reading “Lacson Disproves ‘Intimidation’ Claim of Pharmally’s Mago”
May conflict of interest ba ang isa sa mga abogado ng magkapatid na Dargani na nauugnay sa gusot hinggil sa procurement ng medical supplies?
Ibinunyag ni Senador Ping Lacson nitong Biyernes na ang isa sa mga abogado ng mga Dargani na si Daryl Valles ay nagtatrabaho sa isang miyembro ng Kamara de Representantes.
“I am particularly interested in the lawyering business of Atty. Valles. Because when the new spokesperson of the President was interviewed, he averred that Atty. Valles used to work in the office of the Special Assistant to the President until March 1, 2021. And since then, he’s now connected with the office of a member of the House of Representatives,” ani Lacson sa pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing kaugnay ng iregularidad sa procurement.
Related: Conflict of Interest? Lacson Bares Ties of Dargani Lawyer to Government Office
Continue reading “Ping, Siniwalat ang Koneksyon ng Abogado ni Dargani sa Taga-Kamara”
Is there a conflict of interest involving one of the lawyers of the Dargani siblings, who are linked to the mess involving the procurement of medical supplies to deal with the Covid pandemic?
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson raised this issue Friday as he bared that Daryl Valles, one of the Dargani siblings’ lawyers, is working for a member of the House of Representatives.
“I am particularly interested in the lawyering business of Atty. Valles. Because when the new spokesperson of the President was interviewed, he averred that Atty. Valles used to work in the office of the Special Assistant to the President until March 1, 2021. And since then, he’s now connected with the office of a member of the House of Representatives,” Lacson said at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the procurement row.
Related: Ping, Siniwalat ang Koneksyon ng Abogado ni Dargani sa Taga-Kamara
Continue reading “Conflict of Interest? Lacson Bares Ties of Dargani Lawyer to Government Office”
Ang pag-aresto sa magkapatid na Dargani kaugnay ng imbestigasyon ng Senado sa mga iregularidad sa pagbili ng medical supplies ay nagpapakita lamang na walang sasantuhin sa nangyaring gusot na ito, ayon kay Senador Ping Lacson nitong Lunes.
Ayon kay Lacson, ang pag-aresto ng mga tauhan ng Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) kina Mohit at Twinkle Dargani nitong Linggo ay isang patunay na walang ligtas na kanlungan para sa kanila, maging sa Davao City.
“Kung inaakala ng magkapatid na Dargani na safe haven ang Davao City, just like Michael Yang and Christopher Lao are thinking, they should think again. There is no such thing as a safe haven on earth,” giit ni Lacson.
Related: Lacson: Darganis’ Arrest Shows No Safe Haven for Pharmally Mess Personalities
Continue reading “Ping: Pag-aresto kina Dargani, Nagpapakita na Walang ‘Safe Haven’ para sa mga Sangkot”
The arrest of the Dargani siblings in relation to the Senate investigation on irregularities surrounding the procurement of medical supplies to deal with the pandemic shows no one in the mess is untouchable, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Monday.
Lacson said the arrest of Mohit and Twinkle Dargani Sunday by the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) personnel shows there is no such thing as a safe haven – not even Davao City.
“Kung inaakala ng magkapatid na Dargani na safe haven ang Davao City, just like Michael Yang and Christopher Lao are thinking, they should think again. There is no such thing as a safe haven on earth (If the Darganis thought Davao City is a safe haven just like Michael Yang and Christopher Lao, they should think again. There’s no such thing as a safe haven),” he said.
Related: Ping: Pag-aresto kina Dargani, Nagpapakita na Walang ‘Safe Haven’ para sa mga Sangkot
Continue reading “Lacson: Darganis’ Arrest Shows No Safe Haven for Pharmally Mess Personalities”
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”
In hindsight, before a motion to cite a resource person for contempt and a subsequent arrest-and-detain order is issued, a team from the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) should already be deployed to effect the arrest of the said individuals.
That said, we lost the element of surprise and even telegraphed our move to the person/s concerned. This is one of the limitations of a virtual hearing, and a lesson we must learn from.
*****
Hindi nagsisinungaling ang video. Iyan ang pahayag ni Senador Panfilo Lacson nitong Martes hinggil sa magkakasalungat na testimonya ng empleyado ng Pharmally na si Krizle Mago sa pagdinig sa Senado noong ika-24 ng Setyembre at sa Kamara noong ika-4 ng Oktubre.
Hindi naniniwala si Lacson sa sinabi ni Mago sa Mababang Kapulungan na ang kanyang pag-amin sa pamemeke ng “expired” labels sa face shields ay dahil lamang sa “pressure.”
Sa pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sa mga iregularidad sa pagbili ng medical supplies para sa COVID-19 response nitong Martes, ipinakita ni Lacson ang isang video clip kung saan malinaw na hindi pinilit si Mago na gawin ang naturang pahayag noong pagdinig sa ika-24 ng Setyembre.
Related: Videos Don’t Lie: Lacson Bares Conflicting Testimonies of Pharmally’s Mago
Continue reading “Ping, Isiniwalat ang Magkakasalungat na Testimonya ni Krizle Mago ng Pharmally”
Video clips don’t lie. Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson thus bared Tuesday the conflicting testimonies of Pharmally Pharmaceuticals “employee” Krizle Mago before the Senate last Sept. 24, and the House of Representatives last Oct. 4.
Lacson shot down Mago’s claim before the Lower House that her admission of acting on instructions of higher management to instruct a warehouseman to tamper with “expired” labels on face shields was a “pressured response.”
At Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the irregularities in the purchase of medical supplies to deal with the Covid pandemic, Lacson had a video clip played showing Mago was not pressured in her admission during the Sept. 24 hearing.
Related: Ping, Isiniwalat ang Magkakasalungat na Testimonya ni Krizle Mago ng Pharmally
Continue reading “Videos Don’t Lie: Lacson Bares Conflicting Testimonies of Pharmally’s Mago”
Walang kahirap-hirap na nakopo ng Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. ang malaking bahagi ng P42-bilyong kontrata sa Department of Budget Procurement Service (PS-DBM).
Isiniwalat ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson sa pagpapatuloy ng pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sa mga anomalya sa pagtugon ng pamahalaan sa pandemya.
Ibinatay ito ni Lacson sa dokumento buhat sa DBM na nagsasabing sa 45 suppliers, nakopo ng Pharmally ang 26.39 porsiyento na kabilang sa P42 bilyon na inilipat ng Department of Health (DOH) sa PS-DBM.
Related: Lacson: Pharmally Bagged 26.39% of P42B Contracts with PS-DBM
Continue reading “Ping: 26.39% ng P42B Proyekto ng PS-DBM, Nakopo ng Pharmally”
Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. bagged more than one-fourth of some P42 billion in contracts with the Department of Budget Procurement Service (PS-DBM) for medical supplies to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Panfilo M . Lacson bared Friday.
Lacson cited DBM documents indicating that of 45 suppliers, Pharmally grabbed 26.39 percent of the P42 billion transferred by the Department of Health to the PS-DBM.
“Out of 44 other suppliers, Pharmally ang No. 1, and you bagged 26.39% of the P42 billion transferred by DOH to the PS-DBM even with a P625,000 initial capitalization,” Lacson told Pharmally Director Linconn Ong at the Senate hearing on the matter.
Related: Ping: 26.39% ng P42B Proyekto ng PS-DBM, Nakopo ng Pharmally
Continue reading “Lacson: Pharmally Bagged 26.39% of P42B Contracts with PS-DBM”
Paano nangyaring ang Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., na may kapital na lagpas lang ng bahagya sa P600,000, ay nakopo ang halos P12 bilyong kontrata sa pamahalaan para sa medical supplies sa pagtugon sa pandemya ng Covid-19?
Ito ang nagtatakang tanong ni Senador Panfilo Lacson sa pagpapatuloy ng pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee sa nabanggit na kontrobersya, na pumutok matapos lumabas ang ulat ng Commission on Audit (COA).
Ayon kay Lacson, ang nabanggit na halaga ay bahagi ng P42 bilyon na na inilipat ng Department of Health (DOH) sa Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) para ibili ng mga kagamitan sa pagtugon sa Covid-19.
Dahil dito, inatasan ng mambabatas si Pharmally chairman Huang Tzu Yen at director na si Linconn Ong na isumite sa komite ang official records na nagsasaad ng mga kontratang nakuha ng kumpanya pati na rin ang mga kaakibat na halaga.
“Just make sure you base your figures on official records,” paalala ni Lacson, matapos na isiwalat ni Ong na batay sa kanilang “records” ay nakakuha ang Pharmally ng P11 bilyon.
Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: How Did Pharmally Corner Almost P12B in Contracts for Medical Supplies?
Continue reading “Tanong ni Ping: Halos P12B Kontrata ng Medical Supplies, Paano Nasungkit ng Pharmally?”
Despite starting up with a little over P600,000, how did Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. corner nearly P12 billion in contracts from the government for medical supplies to address the COVID-19 pandemic?
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson asked this Monday as he noted the amount is a huge chunk of the P42 billion that the Department of Health transferred to the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM) to procure the items.
He told Pharmally chairman Huang Tzu Yen and director Linconn Ong to submit to the committee official records showing how many contracts Pharmally bagged, and how much were involved.
“Just make sure you base your figures on official records,” he said, even as Ong cited “records” showing Pharmally may have gotten some P11 billion.
Basahin sa TAGALOG: Tanong ni Ping: Halos P12B Kontrata ng Medical Supplies, Paano Nasungkit ng Pharmally?
Continue reading “Lacson: How Did Pharmally Corner Almost P12B in Contracts for Medical Supplies?”
I don’t know what President Duterte is talking about when he commented on my hairstyle. I haven’t changed the way I comb my hair, since long before he had lost his mind. But his insulting rebuke only shows that he and Sen. Bong Go are one and the same, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. They even probably have a joint bank account.
Many people I talked to have noticed his incoherence and senseless ad libs even in his formal addresses to the nation including the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
That said, it is not difficult to think that he is in panic mode and is attempting as he has already done earlier to discourage the Senate from pursuing our investigation in the highly anomalous procurement of overpriced medical supplies that is starting to knock on the doors of Malacañang. The video showing Michael Yang, a Chinese national who had a signed contract as a presidential consultant, receiving a one-peso-a-year remuneration from the government and very casually introducing high officials of the controversial Pharmally Corp. is telling to say the least.
But make no mistake. The Senate will not flinch on this one. There is a lot more to discover and pursue so that all those responsible for this abominable crime against the Filipino people who continue to suffer amid the pandemic will be exposed and charged in court at the proper time.
*****
Basahin sa TAGALOG: Sa mga Insulto ng Pangulo sa mga Nag-iimbestiga ng Anomalya sa PS-DBM
Continue reading “On the President’s Insults Amid the Senate Investigation on the PS-DBM Mess”
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”
