Thread by @rapplerdotcom

Pharmally director Linconn Ong, who is now represented by Ferdinand Topacio, now asks to be excused from future hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. The 10th hearing should start anytime soon. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Pharmally execs Huang Tzu Yen, siblings Mohit and Twinkle Dargani, Justin Garado are present. Linconn Ong, who is still detained in the Senate, is in the Zoom. They skipped Krzle Mago in the Pharmally roll call, which is still ongoing. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Krizle Grace Mago, who admitted last hearing that Pharmally tampered with face shield expiry dates, is not present. She has not been directly in touch with the Senate, said committee secretariat Atty. Rodolfo Quimbo. Hontiveros concerned. | Via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Mohit Dargani says he does not know where Mago is, and the last time he spoke to her was Saturday morning, the day after the hearing where Mago made the startling admission. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Gordon hits House panel, says "there should be interparliamentary courtesy." On Rep Michael Aglipay's question on whether people got sick or died from tampered face shields, Gordon said: "Hindi dapat sabihin 'yun. At inamin naman ni Mago na nagantso ang gobyerno." | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo reiterates that there's already a special audit into PS-DBM and Pharmally contracts. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Twinkle Dargani says there are some documents that they cannot submit, citing data and bank privacy laws. Sen Drilon asked for a list of such docs to study if he can cite Twinkle Dargani in contempt. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Drilon is asking for documents to support Pharmally's cost of sales. Pharmally's financial statement shows that while they earned P7.5 billion in sales in 2020, they incurred P7.09 billion cost of sales. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan Drilon requests to summon Pharmally accountant Jeff Mariano after CPA Iluminada Sebial is unable to answer most of his questions on Pharmally’s finances. | via @sofiatomacruz

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Drilon tried to purse his questions with Phamrally officials themselves but Twinkle Dargani says there are some documents that they cannot submit, citing data and bank privacy laws. Dargani said she would cooperate but would need to consult their legal counsel first.

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Sen Drilon earlier asked for a list of such docs covered by data privacy and bank secrecy laws to study if he can cite Twinkle Dargani in contempt. | via @sofiatomacruz

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Gordon asks Sebial how much she was paid to audit Pharmally’s financial statement. Sebial says only got P4,000. Gordon sympathized with Sebial and appealed that share what she knows with the Senate. | via @sofiatomacruz

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Hontiveros and Gordon ask Michael Yang about the house he is renting in Forbes - which company leased it out to him and how much rent he pays for rent. After some questions, it’s mentioned that Gerald Cruz, an incorporator of Pharmally Biological rented the property out to him.

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Hontiveros moves to Lao and asks questions to understand his decision making process. When questions get to standard retail prices, Hontiveros and Pangilinan point out that DOH said SRP should be not be basis for wholesale purchase price. | via @sofiatomacruz

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Lao is seen smirking at this point. Pangilinan calls him out: “Are you smirking? What’s so funny?” The senator scolds Lao, saying it is not humorous that substandard items were purchased, citing test kits that expired because of short shelf life.
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@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz RITM denies telling PS-DBM that dealership agreements with the likes of Pharmally prevent them from procuring directly from BGI test kits manufacturers. PS-DBM chief Jasonmer Uayan earlier said it was RITM who told them of dealership deals. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz With the denial, Uayan said it was a letter from DOH under Asec Nestor Santiago. Uayan admits making a mistake re RITM, says it was DOH Asec Santiago. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz PS-DBM's former chief accountant Allan Raul Catalan denies that he was the one who ordered to sign an inspection report for Pharmally even before there was a delivery. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz PS-DBM's former inspection chief George Mendoza, who pointed to Catalan, stands by his story. Mendoza says Catalan had told him that without the inspection report, the accounting division cannot effect the payment. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Who instructed Catalan to process payment? "It's a general directive" from Lao to prioritize COVID-19 items, said Catalan.

Pangilinan: But you knew deliveries not yet done?
Catalan: At the time yes. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Catalan: My payments are based on the contract, I was just following the contract.
Drilon: Did the contract say pay even before delivery?
Catalan: It's a pro-forma inspection report.
Drilon: If you say you did this on a general directive, you're the one liable. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Catalan said there was a general meeting with Lao, "and the general instruction was to assist the fast-tracking."

Drilon: I'm trying to save your neck, did you do it on your own? | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Story so far: Lao gave a general order to fast-track supplies. Catalan, chief accountant, acted on that and told inspectors he cannot process payment if there is no inspection report. Mendoza, chief inspector, took that to mean sign the report even if there's no delivery.

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Gordon said there's obviously an atmosphere of suasion in the PS-DBM, as he tells the officials: Lao got to the PS in January, and left in June, so you are now left holding the bag. | via @lianbuan

@lianbuan @sofiatomacruz Drilon tells Catalan and Mendoza: You are trying to save the neck of Lao at your expense. Consult your lawyers. | via @lianbuan