Gordon questions Pharmally execs who appointed Lin financial manager

Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday grilled Pharmally executives on who appointed Chinese businessman Lin Wei Xiong as financial manager of the pharmaceutical firm.

During the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing into the controversial procurement of COVID-19 supplies last year, Gordon asked Mohit Dargani, Pharmally's corporate secretary and treasurer, if Lin was the financial manager of the firm.

"So he's a financial manager, correct? He's the watchdog of Michael Yang... he looks after the money interest right? Come on, Mohit..." Gordon asked.

In response, Dargani said: "He was just placed as a financial manager..."

Gordon then asked who appointed Lin in the position of being a financial manager.

Dargani then answered that it was the board of the firm that appointed Lin. He said the Board includes him, Pharmally director Linconn Ong and its chairman Huang Tzu Yen.

Dargani said his sister Twinkle was not involved in any operations and transactions of the firm.

Gordon further pressed Dargani but the latter said: "I can't remember, that's almost two years ago..."

This irked Gordon saying that Dargani could have remembered who appointed Lin as the company's deals involved billions of money.

"How can you not remember? You are dealing with a billion dollar, billion billion peso corporation... financial manager you cannot remember? Was it Michael Yang?" Gordon said.

The senator also asked Huang but the latter only said, "I'm not too sure who nominated him, I have not met him for a long time."

Gordon then presented photos of Lin with some influential individuals including Yang, former presidential economic adviser. Some government officials were also in the photos, including Senator Christopher "Bong" Go and former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Gordon also asked Ong about the matter.

"As mentioned by Mr. Dargani, I think it's the board and it was years ago, I don't remember also... it's also a bank document so I don't wanna further incriminate ourselves so i cannot comment on it," Ong said.

Gordon earlier presented a document showing that Lin, also reportedly known as Allan Lim and Wen Li Chen, had been allegedly profiled as a drug personality.

Rose Nono Lin has said her husband Lin is not involved in illegal drugs.

Gordon said they have information that Lin is presently in Dubai. —NB, GMA News