Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday the Department of Justice was just awaiting the Senate to conclude its inquiry into the alleged irregularities involving the purchase of P10-billion worth of medical supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation before determining if there was still need for further investigation into the possible liabilities of involved government officials.
Guevarra said the usual practice had been that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee must complete its investigation and furnish the DOJ or the Office of the Ombudsman a copy of its report for further criminal investigation and prosecution.
“In fairness to everyone, we need to see the whole picture,” Guevarra said, even as he assured that the DOJ “continues to monitor the Senate proceedings whenever our time permits.”
The Senate has been investigating the alleged anomalous contracts awarded to Pharmally by the Procurement Service Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) for COVID-19-related medical supplies.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon branded the Pharmally-PS-DBM contracts as “premeditated plunder.’’
The contracts have raised eyebrows considering that Pharmally is an upstart and low-capital company.
On Sept. 21, the Senate detained Linconn Ong, Pharmally director, after his arrest at his residence while he was virtually attending the hybrid public hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.
The Senate committee had wanted to cite Ong in contempt for reportedly lying to committee members. He was placed under house arrest as he was COVID-19 positive. He was arrested and detained by the Senate when he was declared COVID-19 negative.
Meanwhile, opposition Senator Leila de Lima has urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze the assets of the Pharmally executives who engaged in a luxury car buying spree after they bagged multibillion government contracts last year.
De Lima, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, said the AMLC should immediately apply for a freeze order against the Pharmally officers, whom she called “soulless monsters.”
The purchase of luxury cars were revealed during the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the alleged overpriced procurement of medical supplies.
De Lima said AMLC should initiate civil forfeiture proceedings against what she described as shameless profiteering.