"Certain bodyguards" have allegedly started guarding Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation regulatory affairs head Krizle Mago after baring that the foreign firm may have swindled the government in delivering face shields for the Department of Health (DOH).

Sen. Richard Gordon (MANILA BULLETIN File Photo)

Senator Richard Gordon disclosed this information Monday, September 27, as he revealed that Mago has also left her condominium unit.

"All we know is that she is no longer in her condominium, and that we're told that she is totally disregarding her phone calls, or totally not in control of herself. We don't know," Gordon said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

"We had a hint that she was supposedly under the protection of 'certain bodyguards', and we are not sure whether that's really reliable but we're hoping for the best. We hope she's not hurt, we hope that she is not being intimidated," he further said.

Asked about Mago's whereabouts in a separate interview with Senate reporters, Gordon clarified that an informant texted them last Saturday to say that Mago is in a "safehouse" surrounded by bodyguards.

Gordon, however, said that he has no knowledge who sent the reported bodyguards for the Pharmally employee.

Mago, on Friday, September 24, admitted to changing the production dates in the product certificates of face shield that were repacked by Pharmally in its warehouse for the DOH from August to September.

She said the instruction came from Pharmally corporate secretary Mohit Dargani, which the latter denied.

An unnamed Senate witness, who allegedly worked for Pharmally, also claimed that in addition to tampering the cerfications, dirty and substandard face shields have also been included in the company's deliveries to the government.

The face shields were intended for the use of health workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the witness said.

After her admission, Mago was offered protection by senators, but said she will think about and reach out to the Senate Blue Commiittee should she decide to accept it.

But Mago, despite vowing to cooperate, has yet to communicate or has not responded to the committee's calls since Friday.

Gordon said the Blue Ribbon panel already sought the help of Mago's alma mater, St. Paul University in Cagayan de Oro, also to no avail. He also cited unverified reports that warehouse staff were being ordered "not to talk to anybody".

"Ayaw niya sumagot or hindi siya pinasasagot (She does not want to answer or she is being told not to answer) -- obviously we are very concerned," Gordon said in the television interview as he opined that Mago's testimonies were "very damaging" to Pharmally.

"That more or less clearly indicates the amount of effort that has been done to deceive or swindle the government and the Filipino people," he added.

"Clearly, that statement speaks volumes," Gordon continued. "I hope she realizes she must show up."

The senator said Mago risks being identified as a fugitive if she continues to ignore the Senate's calls.

"Flight is an indication of guilt," Gordon said.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has been investigating the more than P8.6 billion worth of government contracts awarded by the Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service (DBM-PS) to Pharmally despite only being incorporated in late 2019 with a paid up capital of just P625,000.

Government officials have denied giving undue preference for the start-up, which has links to President Duterte's former economic adviser Michael Yang.

#substandard face shields

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