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Lao violated procurement law: Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson says former Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) head Lloyd Christopher Lao could have violated Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, or the Procurement Law when he allowed Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. to get supply contracts that exceed its Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC). Lacson, during the continuation of a virtual hearing of the Blue Ribbon Committee on the budget utilization of the Department of Health (DOH), particularly its expenditures on its COVID-19 programs, noted that Pharmally had only a net working capital of P599,450 which would allow it to get a contract not exceeding its NFCC or a contract not exceeding P5.9 million. Records showed that Pharmally made its first delivery of face masks on April 6, 2020 amounting to P13.8 million, followed by P54 million for the delivery of 2.4 million pieces of face masks. “Mr. Chairman, maybe you can include in your report that there is a clear violation of the anti-graft law. Because there is an administrative requirement that was not followed. Pharmally should have not been given a contract that is more than 10 times of its net working capital,” Lacson said. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)