Senate blue ribbon panel seeks details on Darganis’ attempted flight to Malaysia

The Senate blue ribbon committee on Monday requested the details of the Dargani’s chartered flight going to Malaysia.

In a letter to Globan Aviation Corporation signed by the panel’s director-general Rodolfo Noel Quimbo, Senate blue ribbon chairman Richard Gordon formally requested the copies of flight request, contracts, and other documents related to the botched travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The details will be used in the Senate's ongoing investigation into the alleged anomalous procurement of COVID-19 supplies in 2020.

“In relation to the said inquiry, as directed by the Chairman, may we request details and copies of the flight request, manifest, contracts or forms showing how much, who contracted, who paid, and who signed documents related to this travel, and all circumstances related to this flight information?” Quimbo wrote.

In the letter, Quimbo disclosed that the flight was operated by Seletar Jet Charter PTE LTD.

The Darganis was supposed to ride a Learjet 60 aircraft which was classified as private/non-revenue flight.

The plane was from Seletar, Singapore and it arrived in Davao City at 3:30 in the afternoon last November 14.

It was supposed to depart at 4:30 p.m. in Davao City.

However, a team from the Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms had arrested Twinkle and Mohit Dargani, who sit as Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation president, and corporate secretary and treasurer, respectively, at the Davao International Airport in Davao City at around 5 p.m. on Sunday

In a statement earlier today, Gordon said the alleged attempt to flee the Philippines is a “clear sign of guilt.”

The Senate’s public information bureau on Monday also showed photos that the Darganis underwent a medical check-up prior to their detention.

Apart from the Dargani siblings, Pharmally director Linconn Ong is also in detention at the Senate.

Last month, the Senate blue ribbon committee cited the Darganis in contempt after they failed to provide the necessary documents being asked by the panel.

The committee is looking into the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service's purchase of P8.6-billion worth of face masks, face shields, and PPEs from Pharmally, a firm with only P625,000 as paid-up capital. — RSJ, GMA News