Gordon says an Ombudsman PPE probe would be ‘compromised’

Senator Richard Gordon on Wednesday said that the Office of the Ombudsman may be “compromised” if it were to probe the procurement of allegedly overpriced personal protective equipment by the Duterte administration.

In an interview on ANC, Gordon said Warren Liong, the appointed Overall Deputy Ombudsman, had links to Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS) former chief Christopher Lao and President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, chaired by Gordon, is currently looking into an P8.6-billion contract for the procurement of face masks, face shields, and PPEs awarded by the DBM-PS to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Pharmally, a small firm, had a paid-up capital of around P625,000 but was able to secure billions worth of government contracts involving pandemic supplies when Lao was still head of the DBM-PS.

“See, that’s why it’s compromised, eh. Because naglagay ka ng tao na kasama itong si Lao, taga Davao… itong appointment mo sa Mindanao si Liong naman. Pareho silang magkakasama sa Ateneo, sa Law school,” Gordon said.

Prior to being appointed as Overall Deputy Ombudsman, Liong served as a director of the DBM-PS, under Lao.

He was also Duterte's election lawyer when he was the mayor of Davao City in 2007 and 2010, according to his profile information on the Philippine Reclamation Authority’s website.

It also stated that he was the legal consultant of the president when he was still vice mayor of the city.

“The point is, hindi ba compromised ‘yun? The deck has been, kung sa kalaban ng presidente ‘yan, the deck has been stacked. Kung kaibigan ka ng presidente, sasabihin mo, sir baka mamaya sabihin nila igi-guilt kayo by association,” Gordon said.

Duque may face graft charges

Meanwhile, Gordon said Health Secretary Francisco Duque may face charges over the procurement issues of the Department of Health (DOH).

State auditors have flagged the Department of Health (DOH) over several deficiencies in its utilization of P67.32 billion in COVID-19 funds, mainly caused by non-compliance with laws, rules, and regulations.

“Well, he is liable for anti-graft, right away. You know, even if you are negligent, you are still liable because you cause damage to the Filipino people in such a very bad situation and all these guys involved,” he said.

“Talagang super plunder because, really, it shows planned plunder,” he added.

Gordon said this was the reason why Duterte’s remarks against the Commission on Audit as well as the Senate surprised him.

“Bakit mo titirahin ‘yung COA? ‘Yan ang taga bantay ng ating mga salapi na ginagamit o ‘yan ang tiga bantay kung may discrepancy. Bakit kayo magagalit sa Senado samantalang tungkulin namin ‘yan?” he said.

Duterte previously slammed COA over its report flagging the DOH.

He also recently renewed his attacks against the Senate blue ribbon committee amid its probe into the government's pandemic purchases.

Duterte displays 'false sense of leadership'

Gordon also said that the president is displaying a false sense of leadership as he defends Chinese businessman Michael Yang despite Duterte’s promise to remove corruption.

“Covering his tracks, trying to cover his people, because people are loyal to their people. It’s a false sense of leadership,” he said.

“To me, there is an absence of leadership. He’s not very hands-on. He has meetings at night and when he has meetings at night he flays away at everybody and that’s fine. Pero dapat kung pinangako mo, dapat ikaw ‘yung maauna,” he added.

Gordon said Duterte has a habit of “leaning over backward” for his people.

“You know, I don’t know why the president leans over backward for his people… is it a sense of macho, is it a false sense of pride?” he said.

On Tuesday, the Senate issued warrants of arrest against Yang and five Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation officials for skipping the inquiry into the government’s procurement of alleged overpriced COVID-19 equipment. — BM, GMA News