Press Release
September 2, 2021

STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON "STINKY" PHARMALLY DEAL

President Duterte once said that he won't tolerate even a whiff of corruption from any government employee. Well, it seems he has lost his "sense of smell" because the deal with Pharmally stinks really badly.

I want to reiterate my call earlier this week: the government should stop accepting proposals from Pharmally.

The facts are simple. The Pharmally contract awards have numerous red flags planted on them. So, if there is any bit of callous indiference, it is about ignoring the warning signs: buying supplies from shady companies with fugitives at the helm during the worst pandemic in history. The PPEs, which were purchased without public bidding, were purchased even if there were cheaper alternatives on the market.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ito natitiis ng Palasyo. Paano iyan maituturing na investment sa bansa, kung mga Pilipino naman pala ang pinagkakitaan?

Oo, gusto natin ng investors pero hindi yung mga negosyanteng mabibilis na nga ang kamay, ginagawa pang libangan ang mismong ekonomiya ng Pilipinas. Ilang mga local manufacturers sana ang naisalba ng bilyong pisong nabingwit ng Pharmally? Ilang Pilipino pa sana ang naproteksyunan ng mas maraming PPEs kung nakuha lang sana sa mas murang halaga?

Sec. Roque surprised absolutely no one when he compared Pharmally's overpriced PPE to those procured by the previous administration. This has always been Malacanang's playbook: instead of squarely addressing the charges, ang aatupagin ay ang panduduro sa nakaraang administrasyon.

Kung may anomalya, dapat kasuhan. Kung may baho, dapat imbestigahan. I have to say that unlike this president, the late President Noynoy never threatened or intimidated the Commission on Audit, hindi niya sinabing itutulak niya sa hagdan ang mga auditors.

Nung ipinatawag ng ating Senado si Pangulong Noy sa usapin ng Dengvaxia, he faced this chamber without fanfare. Kung buhay ang dating Pangulo, tiyak ko na sasagutin niya ang paratang sa 23.2 million pesos na pinambili ng PPE. Sana ganun din ang kasalukuyang Pangulo sa 8.7 BILLION pesos na total cost ng mga contracts sa Pharmally.

Kaya nais ko lamang paalalahanan ang administrasyon: hindi nyo pera yan. Hindi dahil naideliver ang supply ay matatapos ang usapan. Karapatan ng mga Pilipinong malaman kung maayos bang ginagastos ang pondo ng bayan.

I vow to keep looking into this with my colleagues, dahil tungkulin namin ito sa Senado.

Sisiguraduhin nating may mananagot kung mapatunayang may nagpamudmod ng COVID funds sa mga stock manipulators, pugante, at estapador.

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