By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Richard Gordon is willing to take the witness stand in the Sandiganbayan trial over the controversial Pharmally transactions, potentially bringing before the court his knowledge of the Senate investigation that scrutinized the government’s handling of billions of pesos in COVID-19 funds.
A member of the prosecution team confirmed Monday that Gordon is prepared to testify before the Sandiganbayan First Division, although no date has yet been set for his appearance.
“He’s very much willing,” the prosecutor told reporters when asked whether the former senator would testify.
The case involves former Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III and former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao over alleged irregularities in the transfer of more than P41 billion in COVID-19 response funds.
Of that amount, more than P11 billion worth of contracts were awarded to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. for the procurement of face masks, face shields, test kits and other medical supplies during the pandemic.
Gordon had earlier questioned how Pharmally, described as a company only months old when the pandemic began, was able to secure such a massive volume of government contracts despite having only P625,000 in paid-up capital.
Gordon’s potential testimony carries particular relevance to the case because he headed the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee when it investigated the alleged irregular transfer of COVID-19 funds from the DOH to the PS-DBM in 2021.
The Senate inquiry placed the transactions involving Pharmally under extensive scrutiny and examined how the government procured critical medical supplies during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, prosecutors on Monday presented two DOH officials as part of their effort to establish that the department itself had the capability to procure essential medical supplies.
The witnesses were Wafa Bilao of the DOH Central Office’s Health Facility Enhancement Program and Dennis Casimiro of the DOH Health Emergency Management Bureau.
Bilao and Casimiro testified that the DOH had previously procured medical supplies, including mechanical ventilators and body bags.
The prosecution alleges that Duque and Lao “acted with evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence” in connection with the transfer of funds to the PS-DBM.
According to prosecutors, the DOH had the authority to directly negotiate for or purchase essential COVID-19 medical supplies.
They argued that the department should have first determined whether coursing the procurement through the PS-DBM would actually expedite the acquisition of the needed supplies.
Gordon’s testimony, if scheduled and presented, would add a key participant in the earlier Senate scrutiny of the transactions to the Sandiganbayan proceedings.
For now, however, prosecutors have yet to announce when the former senator will appear before the court.
ia/xf
