Senator Panfilo Lacson emphasized that “the plot thickens” on the alleged large-scale corruption by some parties exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic.
POINTING out that there were glaring anomalies, Senator Panfilo Lacson has called on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to “dig deeper” on the role of the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM), as it continues to investigate irregularities at the Department of Health (DOH).
During a radio interview Saturday (August 28), Lacson emphasized that “the plot thickens” on the alleged large-scale corruption by some parties exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Maliwanag naman may tinutumbok tayo rito na large-scale corruption. What makes it worse, sa gitna ng pandemya, may kumikita," the senator said during the interview.
"At ang perang ito galing sa utang. Di ba magagalit ka?" he added. "Hindi natin dapat ito tatantanan.”
During the interview, Lacson said the Senate's investigation so far points to a plot to profit greatly from the pandemic, with Lloyd Christopher Lao getting the top post at the PS-DBM by applying for the job, with the knowledge that it was about to be vacated soon due to qualification issues of its former head.
The senator also reiterated his observation that Lao, a lawyer, failed to conduct due diligence on Pharmally Pharma Corp., which got a P8.6-billion contract despite being incorporated only in September 2019 and with a capital of some P600,000.
"If he did not do due diligence and he is a lawyer, one will presume it is deliberate. Definitely one cannot consider it an oversight," he said.
Lacson questioned as well the possible role of Michael Yang, former presidential adviser for economic affairs who was shown in a video played during Friday's Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, with officials of Pharmally.
"We want to focus on this particular issue. Sino ang involved sa napakalaking halaga na na-award sa virtually unknown company na ang director di mahagilap kasi fictitious ang address? Yun pa lang, that's already a crime," he said.
"May target silang malaking pera para sa supplies," he added.
On the other hand, Lacson said they want to look deeper into the reason behind the transfer of P42 billion in DOH funds for the purchase of "common use supplies and equipment" to the PS-DBM in 2020.
Tags: #PanfiloLacson, #corruption, #DepartmentofHealth, #DepartmentofBudgetandManagement, #LloydChristopherLao