Gordon: 3 senators hesitate to sign Pharmally probe report

Senator Richard Gordon has claimed that at least three senators are hesitating to sign the panel report on COVID-19, particularly the government’s controversial supply contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

“‘Yung tatlo, minumuni pa kung pipirmahan nila na maglalagay sila ng amendment dahil ayaw nila na masangkot ‘yung pangulo. ‘Yung tatlo na ‘yon, nag-aalangan sila kung meron ba tayong sapat na katibayan sa pangulo," said Gordon, chairperson of the Senate blue ribbon committee, in a radio interview. 

(The three are still pondering over whether they should introduce amendments, for fear of dragging President Rodrigo Duterte into the anomaly.)

He said that 11 senators have already committed to sign the blue ribbon committee report.

For those who hesitate to sign the report, Gordon said their reluctance -- for fear of offending Duterte -- doesn't look good. He said they should sign the document for it to be discussed when the Senate resumes sessions after the elections.

Gordon had refused to identify the senators who are reluctant to sign the report.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, a member of the panel, also wondered why some of his colleagues were reluctant to support the investigation report. 

“Nagtaka nga ako bakit eight lang ang pumirma, diba sila nanonood ng imbestigasyon sa Pharmally kung paano nila sinagot yung mga tanong,’” he said in a separate radio interview.

(I wondered why only eight senators signed. Didn't they watch the investigation on Pharmally and how the officials answered the questions?)

“Nanggigigil ako pag ganitong sistema ng ating politika. Saan tayo nagseserbisyo? Sa taong bayan tayo nagseserbisyo,” he added.

(I am dismayed with this system of our politics. Whom are we serving? We must serve the people.)

Pacquiao, who signed the report, said those who betrayed the public trust should be put in jail.  

“Yan yung betrayal of public trust important po yan na matugunan natin pero kailangan kasi makulong yung mga inimbestigahan natin yung Pharmally kasi akala nila yung gobyerno natin kaya nilang paglaruan,” he said.

(That is a betrayal of the public trust. It is important that we address it. We must imprison those we investigated in the Pharmally issue who thought they could toy with our government.)

"Pag hindi natin pinakulong yan yung mga banyaga na ‘yan na nandito sa ating bansa, alam mo sa totoo lang malaking kahihiyan yan sa atin at gagawin at gagawin pa nila yan sa susunod na henerasyon. Kailangan maging maingat sa mga ganyan,” he added.

(If we don't imprison those foreigners who are here in our country, it would be a big shame for us and they will do it again in the next generation. We need to be careful about this.)

Pacquiao said the other senators who signed the report were Gordon, Panfilo Lacson, Leila de Lima, Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, and Risa Hontiveros.

On Tuesday, Gordon released the draft partial committee report on the investigation into the transfer of P42-billion funds from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

The panel’s draft report said Duterte has betrayed the public trust with his actions related to the government's controversial multi-billion-peso supply contracts with Pharmally.

Also, the Senate committee recommended plunder, graft, and other criminal and administrative charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, former government officials, and Pharmally executives.

Nonetheless, Gordon has expressed confidence that more senators will back the partial report on the COVID-19 supply procurement investigation. —LBG/VBL, GMA News