Senate sergeant-at-arms recommends immediate transfer of Pharmally execs to Pasay jail

Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Rene Samonte recommended on Sunday the immediate transfer of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation’s director Linconn Ong and corporate secretary and treasurer Mohit Dargani from Senate premises to Pasay City Jail.

This was after the accused officials once again refused to give details as to the location of the documents which indicated the firm's financial statements.

In a video message, Senator Richard Gordon shared a text message from Samonte which said the Pharmally officials even asked their legal counsel, Attorney Roy Kapunan, about the whereabouts of the documents but the lawyer did not know about it.

“Hindi nakaalis kasi ayaw magbigay ng info kung saan pupunta. Hindi daw niya alam kung nasaan — office or warehouse or residence. He was told that they can go to all three, pero ayaw pa din. Ang sabi ni Mohit ay alam daw ni Atty Kapunan, kaya pinatawagan ko," Samonte said.

(We could not leave because he could not tell us where to go. He said he doesn't know where the documents are — office or warehouse or residence. He was told that they could go to all three, but he still did not want [to give details]. Mohit said Atty. Kapunan knows [the details] so I asked that he be contacted.)

"Muntik na daw mahulog ang lawyer sa upuan, kasi wala daw kaalam-alam si Atty Kapunan kung ano man ang mga documents na 'yun. It seems wala talagang boxes and boxes of documents, or ayaw ilabas kung meron man," he added.

(Kapunan reportedly almost fell off his chair, saying he had no idea where the documents were. It seems there really are no boxes and boxes of documents, or they do not want to show these documents.)

Samonte thus recommended to the Senate leadership to produce the transfer order of the two officials to the Pasay City Jail.

"I recommend ituloy na ang transfer order (give the transfer order) ASAP. I will see and talk to them 'pag may (when there is already a) commitment order na to Pasay City jail," he added.

Gordon, meanwhile, said they have had enough of the Pharmally officials' lies, adding that the Senate may order a transfer of these officials if Pasay City Jail is treating them royally.

"Makukuha din namin 'yan pero kayo we have had enough (We will get those documents soon but we have had enough) so you better know that you are going to Pasay City Jail and if you are treated royally there, we are moving you to another jail," he said.

"Kaya kaming mga senador, everybody in the blue ribbon [committee], 'yan ang ipapasa namin at ikukulong sila sa Pasay City Jail," Gordon also said.

(That's why we senators, all of us in the blue ribbon [committee], we will pass that order and we will make sure that they are detained at Pasay City Jail.)

GMA News Online asked for comment from Pharmally's media team regarding the latest pronouncement from Senate officials but they have yet to give their reply.

The Senate blue ribbon committee, headed by Gordon, has been probing the procurement of COVID-19 supplies made by  the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service in 2020. During this procurement, Pharmally bagged more than P8 billion in government contracts for personal protective equipment, which were believed to be overpriced. —KG, GMA News