Photo Release

Frustrated: Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon expresses his frustration over the continuous failure of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executive Linconn Ong to provide the Blue Ribbon Committee information regarding the whereabouts of the documents that could prove the company’s purchase of pandemic-related supplies from Evermore and Acme Pinnacle. Drilon, during the continuation of the virtual inquiry on the 2020 Commission on Audit report and other issues related to the budget utilization of the Department of Health (DOH), especially its expenditures related to the fight against COVID Friday, December 3, 2021, noted that the documents could help the panel determine if there is a need to amend the processes related to the filing of income tax returns and if Pharmally really made the purchase. Ong insisted they had followed the procedure and made the delivery of goods to the procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) but admitted having no access to documents being asked by the panel. “Mr. Chairman, I am frustrated and I yield the floor frustrated. Thank you very much,” Drilon said. The committee is asking Pharmally to produce the documents that could show that it has purchased P3.228 billion worth of supplies in 2020.(Screen grab/Senate PRIB)