Mga EBIDENSIYA ng kurapsyon sa pagitan ng Chinese companies at ng Gobyerno | Sen. Richard Gordon
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chief Sen. Richard Gordon on Wednesday said money laundering could have been involved in the government’s questionable deals for medical supplies last year.
In an episode of the PressOne podcast The PressRoom posted on Sept 23, Gordon belied critics claiming there were no significant findings from the Blue Ribbon Committee probe into the government’s Covid-19 spending.
Gordon claimed the appointment of Christopher Lloyd Lao in the Procurement Service of Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) was likely “planned” so he could favor certain suppliers.
Gordon said Lao was able to disburse a total of P8.8 billion to buy PPEs and test kits from March 25 to June 10 of 2020 from Pharmally Pharmaceuticals.
He questioned how Pharmally was able to provide these medical supplies worth millions in a short span of time and with an initial capital of only P625,000.
“So ang damdam namin, meron bang money laundering?” Gordon asked
Last Sept. 10, the Blue Ribbon Committee asked the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to look into the financial transactions of the company.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III has agreed with Gordon’s request.
Senators have also questioned the transfer of P42 billion from DOH to PS-DBM to buy medical supplies.
“Can you imagine one person has the power to disburse money na P42 billion so far,” Gordon said of Lao.
Gordon said that he could not understand the president’s tirades.
“Bakit umpisa palang hinaharang na ng pangulo?” Gordon said.
“At ngayon talagang pinipigil niya, pati kami minumura na at parang nananakot pa,” he added. –Joshua Tristan Montecillo