Controversial Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corporation executive Krizle Grace Mago on Tuesday, Sept. 28 vowed to do her best “to continue to cooperate” with the ongoing congressional inquiry into the alleged overpricing of COVID-19 supplies delivered by her firm to government.
In a statement released to media outlets, Mago allayed fears about her well-being, saying that she is neither missing nor in hiding.
“Humihingi po ako ng pasensya kung naging out of reach po ako ng ilang araw. Kianakailangan ko lang po i-proseso ang lahat ng nangyayari (I apologize if I have been out of reach for several days. I just have to process everything that has been happening),” she said.
Mago, Pharmally’s regulatory affairs chief, said she has been caught in a difficult and pressured situation as a result of the on-going legislative inquiries.
She also defended Pharmally, saying that she knows its officials to be good persons.
“Pero gusto ko ring malaman ng lahat na (I also would like everyone to know that) I was never threatened by anyone from Pharmally,” Mago stressed.
She also assured: “ I will do my best to continue to cooperate for the duration of this investigation.”
Mago has not been receiving calls since she reportedly agreed the offer of protection made by the Senate in order for her to continue testifying before the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.
It will be recalled that the Pharmally executive admitted to members of the Senate blue ribbon panel that they tampered with the expiry date notices of face shields deliered to the Department of Health.
The face shields and face masks procured by the Procurement Service-Department of Budget Management from Pharmally were reportedly overpriced.
Mago’s testimony has been described as the turning point in Senate’s bid to uncover reported anomalies in Pharmally’s dealings with government.
The Senate has asked the help of the National Bureau of Investigation in locating Mago. A subpoena has been issued for her.
The House Committee on Good Government has also issued a subpoena for the ‘missing’ Pharmally officers to show up in the continuation of a parallel probe into the overpricing issue.
Senators have assailed the good government panel chaired by DIWA Partylist Rep. Michael Edgar Aglipay for allegedly pursuing its probe in order to divert public attention from Duterte administration officials suspected of conniving with Pharmallly to defraud government of billions of pesos in public funds.
Aglipay brushed aside the accusations, saying that like the Senate, the Lower House also wants to know the truth about the controversy affecting the DOH and the PS-DBM.