ADMINISTRATION Senator Bong Go prodded persons summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, including a friend and former adviser of the President, to attend Tuesday’s hearing on Covid-19 fund disbursements.
Go advised concerned individuals there was nothing to worry about in facing Senate probers, more so “if they have nothing to hide, they have nothing to fear.”
While he did not name former presidential adviser Michael Yang, it was understood he had addressed his advice to the controversial businessman as well.
Yang had skipped the past Blue Ribbon hearings called by panel chief Sen. Richard Gordon, to look into a Commission on Audit (COA) report on “deficiencies” in the Department of Health’s handling of over P62 billion in pandemic response funds.
Yang has been linked to the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., which bagged over P8 billion in contracts for face masks and face shields despite being newly incorporated with a paid-up capital of only P625,000.
The Gordon panel has issued a new summons to Yang and Pharmally officers, who were not found in their indicated addresses in submitted documents to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The Blue Ribbon has grilled in past two hearings only former budget undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Lao used to the head the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to which DOH transferred P47 billion in pandemic-related funds in 2020.
“Nananawagan din po ako sa lahat, dapat na lumabas na po sila to shed light, para maklaro po sa publiko. Lalung-lalo na po yung mga kakilala ni Pangulong [I am calling on all those summoned to surface and shed light on this to the public. Especially the friends of President] Duterte,” said Senator Go during a radio interview on Sunday.
“President Duterte is not denying that he has known Michael Yang since 1999. But this doesn’t mean that he will allow someone he knew since 1999 to commit shenanigans,” continued Go, speaking mostly in Filipino.
The administration lawmaker recalled that “in fact, when Michael Yang went to Davao City, the first warning he got from President Duterte was that, ‘if you engage in drugs dealing, I will bury you here.’ That means President Duterte will not tolerate wrongdoing, even from a friend to whom he owes a favor,” Go added.
Malacañang had dismissed allegations of wrongdoing in the procurement of reportedly overpriced medical supplies. COA earlier clarified that its preliminary findings do not indicate missing funds but only an inefficient use of the same.
In a privileged speech in the Senate last August 31, Go stressed that culprits who are proven to be complicit in any wrongdoing should be brought to justice. He did underscore, however, that due process must be followed.
He was put on the defensive after certain quarters noted that before going to PS-DBM, Lao had worked in the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), where Go once worked before being elected senator in 2019.
In Sunday’s interview, Go said there is an Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan to run after grafters, “and those proven guilty must be jailed.”
At the same time, Go stressed that “the country’s judicial system must be trusted.”
He explained that legislators could have raised concerns early on regarding the transactions being investigated now, particularly the involvement of the PS-DBM in the purchase of PPEs. Go noted that these have been included in the regular report of the Executive branch to the Joint Oversight Committee of the Legislative branch as required by the Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws.