The Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation officer who reportedly went “missing” after admitting to tampering the certification dates of the face shields the company delivered to the government supposedly on the orders of her superiors may be detained by the House of Representatives.

Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Ty Pimentel, vice chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, said this is a possibility if Krizle Grace Mago refuses to respond to the subpoena issued by the panel.

But this is only assuming that Mago would not cooperate with the House panel’s parallel probe on the alleged overpriced COVID-19 pandemic supplies.

“The proper course of action, kung hindi talaga matanggap ‘yung (if she doesn’t receive the) subpoena, of course, the second course of action is usually, we issue a warrant of arrest,” Pimentel said during the Ugnayan sa Batasan virtual press briefing.

“I’m not saying that we will immediately issue a warrant of arrest. But that would be one of the course of action,” the lawmaker said.

Pimentel said it is essential for Mago to appear before the House hearing and shed light regarding her testimony before the Senate.

“Because we’ve been buying face shields and I can’t see any indication that there is an expiry date on it,” Pimentel pointed out.

“That’s why Mago should appear here, so we can ask her if there is truth to what she is saying. And if she can produce a sample of the face shields they tampered.

But according to Section 11 of the House rules, the committee may punish any person for contempt by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.

The grounds for citing a resource person in contempt include refusal without legal excuse to obey summons; refusal to be sworn or placed under affirmation; refusal to answer any relevant inquiry; refusal to produce any books, papers, documents or records pertinent to the inquiry and which are in the possession of the resource person.

A resource person may also be cited for contempt if he/she is disrespectful towards any member of the committee or any behavior in the presence of the panel, or if he committed undue interference in the conduct of the proceedings.

Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Sen. Richard Gordon had earlier disclosed that Mago became “incommunicado” shortly after the panel’s hearing last Friday where she confirmed that Pharmally had sold to the DOH damaged and soiled medical-face grade shields whose production dates they changed from 2020 to 2021 to make it appear they were newly manufactured.

Gordon noted Mago stands as Pharmally’s regulatory affairs head and one of the incorporators of the undercapitalized company which was established only in 2019 and with only a capital of P625,000.

According to Gordon, Mago can be considered a fugitive by the Senate should she remain out of reach. He said it would be a “sign of good faith” if Mago appears again before the Senate panel’s hearing.