“Pharmally is the key to unraveling the mysteries in this multi-billion transactions. Siya po ang pinakamalaking supplier ng PS-DBM kaya dapat tingnan natin kung sino ang mga connection nila,” said Senator Franklin Drilon in a DWIZ interview.
READ: POGO kingpin Michael Yang to donate 2.5M masks, 30k testing kits to help Duterte fight ‘bee-rus’
Yang introduced officials of Pharmally’s parent company to President Rodrigo Duterte in a meeting in Malacanang on 17 March 2017.
Drilon said the Blue Ribbon committee chairman was likely to issue a subpoena to Yang, a Chinese national, especially after the Senate failed to serve the subpoenas to officials of Pharmally.
The Senate has sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Immigration to track down the Pharmally officials.
Drilon said Pharmally, which was only formed in 2019 with a capital of P600,000, cornered P8.7 billion or the bulk of the medical supplies and protective gear that were sold at five times their market value to the government in the middle of last year’s lockdown.
A key figure in Pharmally’s COVID contract windfall is former Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao who has raised more questions than answers during his appearance in the Senate hearing Friday.
Lao, who was appointed officer-in-charge of Procurement Service (PS), an attached agency of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), signed the supply contracts awarded to Pharmally.
“Ito po ay violation ng anti-graft. Inamin din ni Lao na hindi niya tiningnan nang husto ang GIS (general information sheet) at Articles of Incorporation. Sa aking tingin, pwedeng sampahan ng kaso sa ilalim ng anti-graft ant corrupt practices act. Kasi overpriced ito,” said Drilon.
“Masyadong overpriced ang face masks at face shields; yung kumpanya na nag-supply mula zero income noong 2019 umabot ng mahigit kumulang P300 million ang kinita ng 2020, talagang may kumita rito,” said Drilon.
The post Senate to subpoena Duterte adviser Michael Yang on his ties to Usec Lao’s favorite pandemic supplier Pharmally first appeared on Bilyonaryo Business News.
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