Gordon to Pharmally’s Mago: Show up or be a fugitive

Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. Regulatory Affairs head Krizle Mago. Senate screengrab

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon on Monday said Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executive Krizle Mago can be considered a fugitive should she remain out of reach.

“She becomes a fugitive [in] my book [kung] ayaw na niya humarap [if she would not show up],” Gordon told CNN Philippines’ “The Source” on Monday.

“She’s not a mere employee. So Krizle, if you are listening, hindi ka [you are not a] mere employee,” he further said, adding that Mago, Pharmally’s Regulatory Affairs head, is “in possession of many records.”

“It would be a sign of good faith kung lalabas siya [if she resurfaces],” the senator added.

Sen. Richard Gordon (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

During Friday’s hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Mago admitted she was instructed to order Pharmally warehouse staff to change production certificates of face shields dated 2020 with new certificates dated 2021.

Her admission comes after Senator Risa Hontiveros presented a video of a supposed warehouse employee, who alleged that “deformed, soiled and substandard” face shields meant for doctors and health care workers are allegedly being supplied by the firm to the government.

Video presented during Friday’s (Sept. 24, 2021) of a supposed Pharmally warehouse employee. (Senate screengrab)

The employee also said that they were instructed to switch the production dates for the items.

“Obviously tinamaan si Mago at talagang nung makita niya na may testigo ay sinabi niya na mukhang talagang sinuswindle nga ang bayan,” Gordon went on.

(Obviously, Mago was affected when she saw there was already a witness and she agreed that the country had been swindled.)

“‘Pag binalikan ko yan, tatanggalin na natin yung [takip sa] mukha at talagang magte-testify yang taong ‘yan,” he added.

(If I go back to that witness, we will remove his face cover and he will really be made to testify before the Senate.)

Following Mago’s “damaging” admission against Pharmally, senators offered to give her protection should she agree to fully cooperate.

Mago, while expressing her willingness to cooperate, asked she be given time to decide if she would avail of the protective custody.

Since then, however, Gordon said the committee  could no longer reach Mago.

The blue ribbon panel, led by Gordon, is looking into the government’s transactions with Pharmally, which was awarded over P8.6 billion worth of supply contracts for medical supplies in 2020 despite being only several months old and having just P625,000 in paid-up capital.

Pharmally chairman and president Huang Tzu Yen has previously denied that they were favored in any way in the government’s procurement of medical supplies in 2020, saying the firm has been “unfairly prejudged.”

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