Former Senator Richard Gordon recently lauded the Ombudsman’s recommendation to indict government officials involved in the Pharmally scandal as well as Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation’s Lin Weixiong for graft and corruption.
“I wish to thank the Ombudsman for this action,” said the former chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. “It affirms my belief that there is still justice in the Philippines,” he said in a statement.
Gordon also expressed his gratitude to the staff of the Blue Ribbon Committee headed by Director General Attorney Rudy Quimbo.
The former senator led the Senate investigation into Pharmally and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) then headed by Lloyd Christopher Lao and former Procurement Director Warren Rex Liong who awarded multi-billion-dollar contracts for the supply of medical equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gordon questioned how the DBM procurement service could award such big contracts to Pharmally which had no previous transactions with the government and had a paid-up capital of P625,000.00. The medical supplies included face masks, face shields, PPE’s and RT-CPR test kits.
He expressed the hope that the Ombudsman’s investigation will go deeper and that it will unravel further evidence that will prove plunder.
“We were insulted, harassed and even threatened with death by some sectors, yet we chose to adhere to principles and the rule of law,” Gordon said.
