The Senate witness who testified that Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation’s management ordered the repacking of substandstard and dirty face shields that were delivered to the government rejected claims that he was bribed by the office of Senator Risa Hontiveros.
The witness, wearing a cap and whose face was hidden to protect his identity, debunked on Thursday, September 30, the camp of Pharmally’s director Linconn Ong, whose lawyer Ferdinand Topacio alleged that Hontiveros’ office bribed him to testify against Pharmally, particularly Krizle Grace Mago.
Mago, another Pharmally official, had confirmed the witness’s testimony, during the Senate blue ribbon committee last week and also confirmed that they tampered the certification of the face shields to make it appear they were newly manufactured.
A warehouse staff of Pharmally, the witness confirmed he personally sought out Hontiveros’ office, through the senator’s FB page where the lawmaker’s official email address is posted.
“Kusang-loob ako . Wala naman akong bayad na hiningi (I voluntarily approached them. I didn’t ask for money),” the witness said in a Zoom press briefing.
“Gusto ko talaga na i-share 'yong mga anomaly ana pinagagawa sa amin po...Lahat po 'yon totoo po (I really wanted to share the anomalies that we were told to do...All of that are true,” he added.
“Tsaka inamin na rin naman po ni Ms. Mago 'yon kaya po talagang totoo lahat ng sinabi ko (Even Ms. Mago admitted it. That’s why I’m telling you that all I said were true),” he said.
Hontiveros said those accusing her and her office staff should think twice about attacking them saying all that all the witnesses that came to her office and sought her help were ordinary people who had grudges with influential people who abuse their authority.
“Kapag lumalapit sila sa amin, wala silang bitbit kundi ang tibay ng loob na ipaglaban ang katotohanan hanggang sa huli. 'Yan ang pinanghahawakan nila (Whenever they approach us, they hold no other baggage but courage to fight for the truth until the end. That is the only thing they hold on to),” she said.
She pointed out that Topacio and Pharmally executives were merely doing everything in their power to divert the attention of the public from the Senate’s ongoing investigation on the anomalies hounding the government’s procurement of COVID-19 pandemic supplies.
“Diversionary tactic talaga, Style niya bulok. Ang lahat ng paratang nila ay tanda lang na (All of their attempts is proof that) we are on the right track,” Hontiveros stressed.