Palace maintains no evidence linking ex-admin officials to Pharmally 'overpricing'

Malacañang on Tuesday dismissed the Senate blue ribbon committee's partial findings alleging conspiracy between former administration officials and Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. to defraud the government.

In a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque maintained that the blue ribbon investigation is politically motivated.

"Kuwentong kutchero po 'yan sa panahon ng pulitika. Walang ganyang ebidensya [That is just gossip amid political season. It's not backed by evidence]. There is no conspiracy," he said.

During the resumption of the hearing on Tuesday, panel chairman Senator Richard Gordon said charges will be recommended against the following former government officials:

• former Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) head Christopher Lao,
• former Overall Deputy Ombudsman Warren Liong
• former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang

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Also recommended to face charges are officials of Pharmally, a firm accused of securing billions of pesos worth of government contracts stemming from the overpriced procurement of medical items in 2020.

"In fact, the probe has proved that the President has nothing to do with purchasing of personal protective equipment," Roque said.

Pharmally director Linconn Ong has admitted during the Senate investigation that Pharmally secured a loan from Yang for the government deal.

Another Pharmally official, Krizle Grace Mago, also said before the Senate that Pharmally employees had tampered with the expiry dates of face shields for health workers bought from them by the Philippine government.

Mago, however, later backtracked from her testimony during a separate investigation by the House of Representatives.

PS-DBM, during Lao's stint, awarded at least P8 billion of government medical supply contracts to Pharmally even if the firm's startup capital was just around 625,000.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said that there is nothing wrong with Pharmally being supplied by Chinese suppliers and getting government contracts amid the pandemic, saying he has come to China several times to invite investors to help the country.

But in a public address earlier this month, Duterte said he does not care if the blue ribbon committee would "crush" Pharmally.  —KBK, GMA News