Pharmally execs to be released June 2, says Senate official

Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation officials Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong are set to be released from Pasay City Jail on Thursday morning after six months in detention.

This, after Senate President Vicente Sotto III signed separate release orders for the two which will be effective on June 2, 2022.

According to Senate sergeant-at-arms Rene Samonte, the Pharmally officials will be released from jail at around 8:00 a.m.

“By the power granted the Senate President under the Rules of the Senate, Rule III, Section 3(c), [Mr Linconn Ong/Mohit Dargani] is hereby released,” the two release orders read.

“The Sergeant-at-Arms is hereby directed to deliver this Order to Supt. RAMIL S. VESTRA, DSC, Warden, Pasay City Jail for immediate implementation.”

The Pharmally executives were transferred to Pasay City Jail in November last year after refusing to disclose the whereabouts  of the documents on the company's financial statements, which were being sought in the blue ribbon investigation.

Ong had been under Senate custody since September 21, 2021 after he was cited in contempt for being "evasive" and "lying under oath."

Dargani, meanwhile, was arrested on November 14, 2021 as he tried to leave the country via a chartered plane at the Davao City International airport.

Earlier, Sotto argued that both officials should be released on June 3, citing the Supreme Court jurisprudence on the case of Senate vs. Balag.

However, Senate blue ribbon panel chairman Richard Gordon and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Ong and Dargani should be released on June 30 or the day the 18th Congress expires.

Last year, Gordon led the Senate blue ribbon committee's inquiry 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).

This included PS-DBM’s purchase of P8.6 billion worth of face masks, face shields, and PPEs from Pharmally, which 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.—LDF, GMA News