Pharmally's Ong attends Senate probe despite request to skip proceedings

Detained Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation director Linconn Ong attended the continuation of the Senate investigation into the alleged overpriced medical items on Thursday despite his formal request to skip the succeeding hearings.

In a letter addressed to Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Richard Gordon dated September 29, 2021, Ong, through his legal counsel Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, asserted his “right not to participate any further in the subsequent” hearings.

“Hence, we respectfully request that he be excused from the hearing of this Committee on 30 September 2021 and on such other hearings as may be henceforth schedules,” the letter read.

But minutes before the committee started its 10th hearing on Thursday, Topacio issued a statement claiming that Ong was forced to attend the proceeding.

“Our client, Linconn Ong, is being physically forced to attend the Blue Ribbon committee hearing. He has the right not to participate. No matter what he says, he will just be put in contempt, humiliated, and his character assassinated,” Topacio said.

“They will not believe that the President has nothing to do with Pharmally, and they are trying to force my client to say otherwise. What they are doing is all in the name of dirty politics.”

Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Gen. Rene Samonte said Ong was initially hesitant to come with the officers of the OSAA.

The Senate blue ribbon committee explained to Ong that he can be forced to attend as he is a Senate detainee.

Eventually, Ong cooperated and was escorted by OSAA personnel to attend the hearing.

Meanwhile, in his opening statement, Senate President Vicente Sotto II noted the accused's tendency to play the victim.

“Huwag niyong gamitin ang pandemya para mangatwiran sa inyong pagkukulang [Don’t use the pandemic as an excuse to your shortcomings]. Our people are not shallow-minded. If you have nothing to hide, just show proof,” Sotto said.

“I am the longest-serving senator in this Congress. I have attended many hearings of the Senate blue ribbon committee. In all these hearings, there is one common denominator: the accused always plays the victim,” he added. —KBK, GMA News