Sedition rap filed vs. Hontiveros over Pharmally probe; Risa says it's last-ditch effort

A sedition complaint was filed before the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday against Senator Risa Hontiveros for allegedly manipulating, through bullying, the hearings of the Senate blue ribbon committee on Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation's supply transaction with the government, according to a report by Mark Makalalad on Super Radyo dzBB.

The complaint was filed by Pharmally employee Jaime Vegas.

Also included in the complaint was Hontiveros' staff Atty. Jaye Bekema and others.

The complainant said the Senate blue ribbon committee, of which Hontiveros is a member of, is manipulating the case against Pharmally through bullying.

In his affidavit, Vegas said Hontiveros wanted to bring the government down by portraying that this government is corrupt and to solicit support from the general public to rise against the Duterte administration.

Hontiveros however said the sedition complaint is laughable and is a "last ditch effort" of Pharmally and its backers.

"The charge to commit sedition is laughable. Holding public officials accountable is not rising publicly and tumultuously against the government," Hontiveros said in a statement.

"I do not need to resort to unlawful means to point out anomalies in Pharmally's transactions. The Senate has already exposed many of these information. This is clearly a last ditch effort by Pharmally and its backers," she added.

The Senate blue ribbon committee is investigating the P8.6-billion procurement deal of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service with Pharmally for COVID-19 pandemic supplies such as face masks and face shields, which are allegedly overpriced, some of them reportedly tampered to show these have not yet expired.

'Not yet expired'

“The truth of the matter was that the facemask was not yet expired considering that it has a two years validity. Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation segregated some facemask with little defects due to the heavy rainfall that seeped inside the warehouse. Pharmally delivered good quality facemask to the government,” Vegas said.

He also cited that Pharmally warehouseman Veejay Almira was tempted to “falsely, unlawfully and wrongfully implicate” Pharmally because he needed money to buy medicine for his child who has a skin condition.

In September, Pharmally lawyer Ferdinand Topacio already called for an investigation of Bekema for allegedly bribing Almira in exchange for the testimony.

In a sworn statement attached to Vegas' complaint, Almira alleged that Bekema initially transferred P2,500 to him via GCash two times. When he made the video, he allegedly received another P10,000 because he could no longer work for the company.

He said he was also told to transfer residence and was given another P20,000 for the relocation due to the threat he was receiving. He was also allegedly advised not to talk with his family for the meantime.

“Sa direction ni Sen. Hontiveros ay inutusan po ako ni Atty. Bekema na pumirma ng sinumpaang salaysay para sabihin na expire na ang mga face shields ng Pharmally,” he said.

(On Sen. Hontiveros’ direction, I received an order from Atty. Bekema to sign a sworn statement saying that the face shields procured by Pharmally have already expired.)

Before he appeared at the Senate hearing, Almira also alleged that he had a virtual meeting with Hontiveros and Bekema to direct him on what to say.

Bekema however denied giving a bribe.

“I categorically and absolutely deny bribing the witness into lying. Hindi po ako nanuhol, wala po sa opisina ni Sen. Risa, maging si Sen. Risa, ang nanuhol,” Bekema previously said.

(I did not bribe. No one among the staff of Sen. Risa, even Sen. Risa herself, does such a thing.)

Almira said that he messaged the Facebook page of Hontiveros in September 2020 to ask for medical assistance for his child who has a skin condition. That was when the page asked him for his personal documents and information on where he worked.

“Wala po akong intensyon na siraan ang aking kumpanyang pinapasukan, ginawa ko po yun dahil nangako sila ng tulong sa aking anak. Akala ko po ay lehitimong pagtulong ang ginagawa nila, ‘yun pala ay gusto nila akong gawing testigo para siraan ang gobyerno,” he said.

(I had no intention to ruin the image of the company I work for. I did it only because they promised to help my child. I thought what they were doing was legitimate help, but they only wanted to make me a witness to discredit the government.)

Almira added that he had no idea that there was an ongoing Senate investigation into Pharmally's supply deal with the government at that time, emphasizing that he had no intention to testify and only did so for his child.

'Old tricks'

In a press conference on Wednesday, Hontiveros said this development is sad, and reminded that they have evidence to back up her claims.

"Nakakalungkot ang development na ito. Nais ko lamang ipaalala sa lahat na may resibo kami, at yun ang nagpapatibay ng aming imbestigasyon. Wala kaming itinatago at handa kaming harapin ang mga akusasyon," she said.

The lawmaker also advised Pharmally to focus on the issue.

"Huwag nating ilihis ang usapan mula sa bilyon-bilyong nakupit ng Pharmally sa gitna ng pandemya. Pharmally and its backers are resorting to these old tricks in an attempt to avoid explaining to the public how they used our COVID funds. Face shield nila, expired. Pati script nila, expired," she added. —With a report from Giselle Ombay/KG, GMA News