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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan affirms withdrawal of P4.1-B Pharmally cases

Sandiganbayan affirms withdrawal of P4.1-B Pharmally cases

Published Dec 8, 2025 01:05 pm
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its ruling that allowed the withdrawal of the graft and falsification of public documents cases filed in the alleged irregular purchase of P4.1 billion RT-PCR kits for the Department of Health's (DOH's) Covid-19 response in 2020.
The accused in the cases, led by former Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd A. Lao and several officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, asked that the cases should be dismissed instead of withdrawn for refiling.
Lao and the other accused told the anti-graft court that allowing the Office of the Ombudsman to withdraw the cases will cause further delays in the proceedings.
The withdrawal of the cases was sought by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla who told the anti-graft court that there are “some details lacking” in the charges.
Remulla’s motion was granted by the Sandiganbayan last Nov. 4. Lao and the other accused filed a motion for reconsideration which was denied.
Lao, former overall deputy Ombudsman Warren Rex H. Liong, as well as Pharmally's Financial Manager Lin Weixiong, Linconn Uy Ong, and Mohit Dargani have been charged before the anti-graft court with violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code on falsification of public documents.
In denying the motion for reconsideration, the Sandiganbayan said: "As this Court ruled in the assailed Resolution, there is sufficient ground for the withdrawal of the Informations, and it was not shown that the accused's substantial rights or the People's right to due process of law will be impaired."
The 13-page resolution dated Dec. 3, 2025 was written by Sixth Division Chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez with the concurrence of Associate Justices Kevin Narce B. Vivero and Lord A. Villanueva.
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