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Lacson says he signed Pharmally draft report, but with 'strong reservations'
Lacson says he signed Pharmally draft report, but with 'strong reservations'
Partido Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he has signed the partial committee report of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the multi-billion scandal involving the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. and the government but said he signified his “strong reservations” on some of its recommendations.
Lacson said he is not convinced that “betrayal of public trust” can be applied to some of the personalities involved in the multibillion-peso Pharmally scandal, but there is no doubt in his mind that those found liable should be held accountable.
The committee, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, in its report said it found President Duterte liable of “betrayal of public trust” and cited his links to Michael Yang, his former economic adviser, as one of the reasons.
Lacson, vice chairman of the Senate blue ribbon panel, said he is ready to interpellate the contents of the report if or when it reaches the Senate plenary in May.
According to Lacson, the phrase “betrayal of public trust” contained in the report had to be discussed at length because it could lead to the impeachment of a sitting President.
"When I signed the report, I did so as vice chairman of the committee. But I did so with reservations, so it doesn't mean I support all its contents," Lacson said.
“At least for now, unless I am presented with compelling evidence, there is no basis for me to believe that there is a betrayal of public trust," the former national police chief added.
Lacson noted that the evidence gathered by the panel mainly pointed to the greed and lack of competence of agency officials particularly, the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (DBM-PS) in negotiating with Pharmally.
But the senator said he would support moves to pursue where the wasted public funds went to, like what the Senate did when it investigated the controversy surrounding the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
“We should respond based on the evidence, like what we did before with PhilHealth, that’s how we should treat Pharmally. Whatever the evidence is, we should strengthen it and help the Executive branch, because it has the right to file (cases), to find probable cause, and to file cases in court,” Lacson explained in a radio interview.
Earlier, Gordon disclosed that three senators are hesitant to sign the draft report on Pharmally probe, saying these colleagues want to exclude Duterte from those who should be held liable for the procurement of overpriced COVID-19 pandemic supplies.
However, Gordon refused to identify the three senators, but said 11 of senators have committed to sign the document.
The Blue Ribbon panel’s initial report recommended administrative and criminal charges against several government officials and private personalities, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, ex-DBM-PS undersecretary Christopher Lao, executives of Pharmally, and Yang.