Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executive Krizle Grace Mago, who admitted that her firm “swindled” the government over the procurement of medical grade face shields for health workers, skipped yesterday’s continuation of the Senate probe on the multi-billion peso contract.
Senate Blue Ribbon director general Noel Quimbo told committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon that Mago, considered a “material witness” was not present.
“She’s missing, neither has she emailed the blue ribbon that she was going to attend,” Quimbo said.
Mago also failed to send an email to confirm her attendance, Quimbo added.
Gordon then directed the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms to locate Mago’s whereabouts, stressing that she is more than just somebody who appears to be a clerk.
“I think she knows a lot more and she does a lot more for Pharmally,” Gordon said.
Last week, Mago admitted her company tampered with the expiry dates of the face shields delivered to the Department of Health.
Another material witness, Linconn Ong, the firm’s director, attended the probe despite his previous request not to attend further hearings.
However, his counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said Ong was being forced to attend the proceeding.
“Our client, Linconn Ong, is being physically forced to attend the Blue Ribbon committee hearing. He has the right not to participate. No matter what he says, he will just be put in contempt, humiliated, and his character assassinated,” Topacio said.
“They will not believe that the President has nothing to do with Pharmally, and they are trying to force my client to say otherwise. What they are doing is all in the name of dirty politics,” he added.
