Scared of death threats, ‘Bato’ advises Pharmally exec to ‘throw phone away’

FILE PHOTO: Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Monday advised an official of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. receiving death threats not to get distracted with such warnings, saying he can just “throw his phone away” if he wants to.

“Huag kang matakot diyan  sa death threat na ‘yan, patayin mo ‘yung cellphone mo, kung gusto mo itapon mo ‘yung cellphone mo, at mag-concentrate ka dito sa hearing na ito,” Dela Rosa said during a Senate blue ribbon committee.

(Don’t be scared with those death threats, turn off your cellphone, if you want to you can throw your phone away and concentrate on this hearing.)

“Sagutin mo lahat ng mga tanong para maganda ‘yung takbo ng hearing natin, huwag kang magpa-distract sa death threat na yan. Kung nag-death threat sayo mga taga-China, papuntahin mo dito sa Pilipinas kung gusto nila na patayin ka,” he added.

(Answer all the questions so that the hearing has a good flow, don’t be distracted with the death threats. If those who are sending you death threats are from China, invite them here in the Philippines if they want to kill you.)

Pharmally director and supply chain head Linconn Ong told senators he has been receiving death threats after testifying in the blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the government’s purchases of merchandise for the pandemic in 2020.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the blue ribbon committee, agreed with Dela Rosa but assured Ong of protection from the Senate.

“You are already protected right now may nakabantay sa’yo ngayon na OSAA  (Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms), ‘di namin aalisin ‘yan,” Gordon said.

(You are already protected right now, there are OSAA officers in your residence, we will not remove them.)

Ong, who tested positive with COVID-19, is currently under house arrest after he was cited for contempt during last week’s hearing.

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