Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday, Oct. 5, took to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to belie the claim of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation regulatory affairs head Krizle Mago that she was "pressured" into admitting that they tampered the production certificates of face shields that they delivered to the government.
At the resumption of the committee's probe on the government's procurement amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lacson recalled asking Mago for her comment on the recorded testimony of an unnamed Senate witness on Pharmally's repacking practices, including changing the production dates of old items before they are repacked and sent to the Department of Health (DOH).
He showed a video clip of Mago during the committee's September 24 hearing, "if only to belie the testimony of Ms. Krizle Mago in the House of Representatives yesterday (October 4)".
Mago, who is currently under the protective custody of the House of Representatives in Quezon City, attended the Senate probe virtually after retracting her statement during the Lower House's own hearing on the issue.
"Napanood niyo naman siguro yong video na pinalabas ni Sen. Hontiveros, 'di ba? And your name was prominently mentioned, how will you respond to that?" Lacson asked Mago last September 24.
Mago replied: "I would have to watch the video again, because I believe there were a few or even more allegations, that, I'm not sure if I heard it correctly, but with regards to changing of the stickers of the items, my response would be that this was supply concern. I raised this concern to our management and that was the solution that was given to us."
Asked by Sen. Francis Pangilinan if she confirms tampering the production dates, Mago said: "Yes, Mr. Chairman, that is something that I cannot deny."
It was then that Senator Richard Gordon, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson, asked Mago: "So you were swindling the government?"
"I believe so, Mr. Chairman...I believe that is the case," the Pharmallly employee responded.
Mago would also say later that it was Pharmally corporate secretary Mohit Dargani who gave the instruction to change the production stickers. She was also repeatedly reminded by senators about her oath to tell the truth in the Senate inquiry, but she stood by her statements.
"You be the judge, Mr. Chairman, if that was a pressured response and if she was bullied by this representation when she admitted that Mr. Mohit Dargani gave her the instructions to have the stickers changed," Lacson told the Senate panel after showing the video clip, noting that Mago was composed when she gave the admission.
Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated the Senate is never a criminal court or involved in a witch-hunt, as alleged by President Duterte during his address televised Monday night.
"The Senate never claimed to be a criminal court. We investigate in aid of legislation as we had always done in the past, which resulted in some meaningful laws like the amended Anti-Hazing Law and many more meaningful legislations," he said in a separate statement.
"But neither is the Senate investigation a witch-hunt. Our inquiries also led to the filing of criminal charges against certain government officials as well as their civilian cohorts," he added.
He also hit the memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea directing heads of government departments and agencies to "no longer appear before or to attend" the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.
"It bears repeating that all branches of government should work together against the common enemy which is corruption. The recent pronouncements made by the President may not be helping in this regard," Lacson stressed.
But senators were not taunted by Duterte's order.
"To those not present in today's hearing, we will see you in budget hearings. We may raise these questions in the budget hearings...So that missing ogvt employees are made aware that we will see you again some time," Senator Francis Pangilinan said during the hearing.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also said: "If they think they can frustrate this committee, nagkakamali po sila (they are mistaken), Mr. Chairman, because I think we have enough at this point, we have established so many facts."