Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee resumes its investigation into the management of pandemic response funds.

Updates by our digital producer @kristellimpot

LOOK: Despite his counsel's letter wishing that he be excused from today's legislative inquiry, Pharmally director Linconn Ong attends hearing from the Senate. He's under Senate custody for allegedly lying & being evasive in his responses to lawmakers' questions | @eimorpsantos

@eimorpsantos Committee secretariat director-general Rodolfo Quimbo confirms Pharmally official Krizle Mago is not present in the hearing. Earlier, Mago admitted Pharmally may have "swindled" the government. bit.ly/3F3qR6W

Sen. Gordon orders the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms to locate Pharmally official Mago. "She's a very material witness in this case. I think she knows a lot more and does a lot more for Pharmally," he says.

Pharmally treasurer Mohit Dargani says he doesn't know Mago's whereabouts, adding he last spoke to her Saturday morning, Sept. 25.

It was on Sunday, Sept. 26, that the Senate first bared they can no longer contact Mago.

Gordon notes the recent Bloomberg report showing the PH landed at the bottom of the COVID-19 resilience ranking: Naging talunan na ang Pilipinas sa laban ng mundo against COVID-19. And our government debt rose to ₱11.6 trillion [as reported] in August.

Health Sec. Francisco Duque III confirms the DOH has been granted additional funds, particularly for the SRA of medical frontliners.

"Tuloy po ang pag-approve ng ating hinihinging pondo para sa ating mga healthcare workers," Duque says.

Sen. Gordon says he doubts the claim that Pharmally's Mago is a mere employee: She followed orders of her superiors, but at the same time, makikita natin mamaya na hindi lang 'yan ang ginagawa niya.

Sen. Gordon: Bakit ang Pangulo, dinedepensahan ang lahat ng mga nadidiskubreng kasangkot sa mga anomalyang ito? Why does the President have to lower his dignity?

Sen. Gordon tells Duterte: Mr. President, masama na kayo ang nagpapaliwanag, masama yung kayo ang dumedepensa. At lalong masama po na minumura at hinaharang niyo yung mga nag-iimbestiga. Iniiwas niyo ang ilaw ng katotohanan.

Sen. Gordon tells Duterte: Kung hinahabol niyo ang mga nag-iimbestiga at pinapagtanggol niyo ang mga lumalabas na kriminal na ito...I would just simply call you a defender of the liars. At ang kapatid ng sinungaling ay kapatid ng magnanakaw.

Pharmally official Krizle Mago a no-show in today's hearing. Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon asks the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms to trace her whereabouts.

Gordon: I think she knows a lot more and she does a lot more for Pharmally | @eimorpsantos

During the 9th hearing last Friday, Pharmally's Mago admitted that the corporation swindled the gov't by tampering with the expiration dates of face shields, but the Blue Ribbon Committee had not been able to contact her since the weekend | @eimorpsantos

COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo says a team is already conducting a special audit on the DBM-Procurement Service's transactions.

"We’ll be looking at all the deliveries," he says, adding that the special audit may be completed by yearend | @eimorpsantos

@eimorpsantos Atty. Topacio, counsel of Pharmally director Linconn Ong, says his client "is being physically forced" to attend the Senate hearing | @eimorpsantos

Sen. Franklin Drilon asks about the alleged ₱33M worth of Pharmally donations appearing in financial statements: Baka naman po bribe ito. Nakita niyo ba ang deed of donation? (1/2)

Pharmally auditor Illuminada Sebial: Hindi na po nila ulit pinakita saakin.

Drilon: Kayo po ang gumawa ng financial statement. What kind of audit did you do? (2/2)

Sen. Drilon says he will study whether or not the Senate could hold Pharmally official Twinkle Dargani in contempt for "withholding information which should not be withheld."

Another resource person, Pharmally Biological executive Rose Lin, requested to be excused from today's Senate hearing due to a medical ailment.

Lin was subpoenaed for her alleged links to Pharmally Pharmaceutical, as well as Chinese businessman Michael Yang | @eimorpsantos

Pharmally auditor Sebial on her failure to present supporting financial documents: Ngayong humihingi na po ako ng documents, ayaw na po nila (Pharmally) magbigay.

Asked to specify who she meant, Sebial says it is Pharmally's chief accountant.

Sen. Gordon: Magkano ang swineldo sainyo, if you don't mind? One time lang ika niyo eh (signing of financial statement).

Pharmally auditor Sebial:₱4,000 po. (1/2)

Sen. Gordon: I'm sorry, alam ko ang laki-laki ng binubuhat ninyo, tapos ₱4,000 lang pala ang sinweldo ninyo. I'm sorry maiipit kayo dito. (2/2)

Asked by Sen. Risa Hontiveros if the housing projects of his firm Paili Holdings Corporation are registered with the DHSUD, Michael Yang says he still has to double check with concerned employees.

Sen. Gordon says the committee will request the DHSUD to confirm this.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan hits ex-DBM Usec. Lloyd Christopher Lao for "smirking" while being questioned, as two get into heated exchange over purchase of allegedly overpriced medical supplies.

Lao says he is smiling since he finds the questions "humorous." He reiterates gov't bought the items out of need amid rising COVID-19 death toll. (1/2)

But Pangilinan says the purchases were substandard. "And how do you explain half a billion pesos worth of testing kits expired under your watch? This is not funny," he adds. (2/2)

Ex-DBM Usec. Lao: We need to remember during this time that there was a clamor from the Senate, and in fact a clamor from the medical field that they will stop reporting to the hospitals if they will not be provided with these important PPE items.

Sen. Gordon tells ex-DBM Usec. Lao: Yung binigay mo sa Pharmally one-time big-time ₱3.8B, nakakalula na yun. Kahit sabihin mo nagmamadali kayo, isang kumpanya lang ang na-favor.

Sen. Lacson says while ex-DBM Usec. Lao may be correct in citing the need to expedite purchases, there is “no due diligence” on the PS-DBM’s part as it failed to comply with the requirement of first ensuring Pharmally is “technically, financially, and legally capable.”

Sen. Hontiveros asks why the PS-DBM didn’t simply buy test kits straight from manufacturer BGI for cheaper costs, instead of buying from Pharmally. (1/2)

PS-DBM executive director Jasonmer Uayan: As I understand it, if we go directly to the manufacturer, it would affect their dealership agreements with distributors here (like Pharmally). (2/2)

Sen. Hontiveros on test kits: Nakabili ang Australia at Chile, and recommended ng UNICEF, at much lower prices dahil dumiretso sa manufacturer. Don't tell me dito lang may dealership agreements? (1/2)

PS-DBM exec. dir. Uayan says he is not aware of arrangements in other countries but maintains there are such dealership deals in PH, citing the RITM. (2/2)

RITM Director Celia Carlos denies informing PS-DBM of dealership deals which supposedly prevent the gov't from buying test kits straight from the manufacturer. She says what the RITM provided were only technical specifications for the kits.

PS-DBM Exec. Dir. Uayan apologizes and corrects his earlier statement, says the letter about dealership agreements came from the DOH, not from the RITM. Uayan points to DOH Asec. Nestor Santiago, who for his part says he has yet to double check this.

Former PS-DBM inspection chief Jorge Mendoza: I overheard this from former Usec. Lao, at that time, may scarcity ng supply and PPEs are only available in China. But China people or suppliers, only accept cash. | @mrvinceangelo

Mendoza: Kapag wala kang cash, hindi ka papansinin. So we need to seek assistance from the Philippine Air Force using their C-130. That's why we managed to get the supplies there. | @mrvinceangelo

Drilon: You better consult a lawyer, because lahat ng sinasabi niyo dito ay masasabit kayo. Your only defense, if I may advise you, is to say that we were just following instructions of a superior officer. | @mrvinceangelo

Drilon: The way you are saying it, you are trying to save the skin of Mr. Lao at your expense. | @mrvinceangelo

Senator Panfilo Lacson: We would like to get the records from the Bureau of Customs, yung list of all importers of face masks, face shields, PPEs, and other medical supplies, from March 2020 to present. | @mrvinceangelo

Drilon: I think we should continue to detain Mr. Ong until he allows to perform our functions as a committee by answering our questions that we have raised to him. | @mrvinceangelo