Pacquiao backs Senate Blue Ribbon report on Pharmally: 'Nothing but the truth'
PROMDI Party standard bearer Sen. Manny Pacquiao lauded the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for coming out with its report on the Pharmally-Department of Health controversy that contains “nothing but the truth” about allegations of fraud in the procurement of over P42 billion worth of COVID-19 supplies and equipment in 2020.
“Yes. Yes without any reservation. Tiwala ako diyan kay Gordon. Tiwala ako kay Senator Gordon sa kanyang mga report. (I have full trust in Senator Gordon and his report),” said Pacquiao, referring to Blue Ribbon panel chairman Sen. Richard Gordon.
The boxing icon participated actively in the investigation of alleged anomalies in the supply deal that implicated officials of Pharmally, Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Health in fraud and corruption.
“I fully support the report, the Blue Ribbon report, Totoo naman lahat ng sinasabi doon. (Everything said in the report is true),” Pacquiao stated.
“Lahat naman niyan ay dumaan sa investigation. Di lang naman isang beses ang pag-iimbestiga, hearing; Lahat iyon ang naging resulta ng imbestigasyon at dapat respetuhin at igalang ng lahat., (Everything was investigated. Hearings were held not only once. What was reported was the result of investigation, thus, should be respected by everybody),” he told a virtual interview.
The Blue Ribbon Committee recommended the filing of graft and other charges against former Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao and Warren Rex Liong, Dickson Panti, Linconn Ong, Mohit, Dargani, Twinkle Dargani, Krizel Grace Mago, Huan Tzu Yen, Michael Yang, Llin Weixiong, Grace Nono Lin, Yang and Health Secretary Duque.
The Senate committee report also chided Duterte for allegedly having “betrayed the public trust, in violation of his oath of office under the 1987 Constitution” because he appointed Yang, a foreigner, as ‘economic adviser to the president in 2018.