Hontiveros hopes Pharmally panel report be sponsored, adopted in Senate next week

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday expressed hope that the Senate blue ribbon committee report on the alleged anomalous government transactions with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation will be sponsored and adopted before the 18th Congress closes next week.

"Ganoon din sa Pharmally, inaabangan ko pa rin, sana by next week ma-sponsor sa floor at sana ma-adopt din po ng Senado," Hontiveros told Unang Balita when asked if she will continue the investigations that were conducted by the Senate.

(I am also waiting for the Pharmally report to be sponsored. I hope that it will be sponsored on the floor next week and we hope that the Senate will also adopt it.)

"Patuloy na mananatiling prayoridad hindi lang ako, ng magiging Blue Ribbon Committee sa susunod na Kongreso pero ng buong Senado. Sa higit 100 taong kasaysayan nito bilang institusyon ay ilang beses itong tumindig minsan nag-iisang tumindig na institusyon para iwasto at [punahin] ang anumang pagkakamali o pagkukulang sa ating gobyerno at saka sa ating lipunan," she added.

(The investigations in the Senate will remain a priority not just for me and the next Blue Ribbon Committee, but also of the entire Senate. In its more than 100 years of history as an institution, the Senate has been standing up to correct any anomalies or shortcomings of the government and our society.)

The lawmaker cited the Senate probe into the bribery scandal in the Bureau of Immigration called the "Pastillas scam" as one of the successful probes that led into the official investigation and prosecution of involved officials.

She also expressed hope the findings and recommendations on the alleged crimes linked to the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations, such as the pastillas scam, will still be used for further amendments of the laws and the case-build up by the government prosecutorial institutions.

In February, Senate blue ribbon chairman Richard Gordon released the partial report of the investigation into the transfer of P42 billion COVID-19 funds from the Department of Health to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).

The investigation focused mainly on PS-DBM’s purchase of P8.6 billion worth of face masks, face shields, and PPEs from Pharmally, a firm that only had P625,000 in paid-up capital when it entered into government transactions.

The Senate blue ribbon committee chairman's report previously recommended the filing of criminal charges against Ong, Dargani, and several government officials and individuals in connection with the alleged anomalous purchases of COVID-19 supplies.

The report also claimed that President Rodrigo Duterte betrayed the public trust in connection with his actions related to the government's multi-billion-peso contracts with Pharmally.

Gordon's report, however, still needs to gather enough signatures before it can be reported out to the plenary, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said in an interview last Monday.

Should it be sponsored in the plenary, the senators would still need to debate on its findings and recommendations before it can be adopted and called a Senate report.

The 18th Congress is set to adjourn sine die on June 3.—AOL, GMA News