Pharmally only paid P4,000 to ‘one-time’ auditor, senators learn
MANILA, Philippines — An external auditor hired by Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. supposedly only received P4,000 from the firm for a “one-time engagement,” senators learned Thursday.
During the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, senators inquired how much accountant Illuminada Sebial received for her services to Pharmally, which is under scrutiny over the multi-billion government contracts it was awarded with.
“Magkano ang sweldo niyo? [How much was your pay?]” Senator Richard Gordon asked Sebial.
Sebial said she received P4,000, prompting Gordon to sympathize with her.
“I know nasasaktan kayo ng konti dahil parang ang laki laki ng binubuhat diyan sa shoulder ninyo tapos P4,000 pa lamang pala ang sinuweldo sa inyo,” Gordon said.
(I know you’re hurting because a lot is on your shoulder yet you were only paid P4,000.)
“I really sympathize with you Ma’am, I’m sorry maiipit kayo rito [I’m sorry you may get dragged into this],” he added.
Before this, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon prodded Sebial regarding documents which would serve as the basis for her to sign and certify Pharmally’s audited financial statements.
“When you had audited the books of Pharmally, did you not require them to produce to you, the source documents for the entries that are being made in the financial statement,” Drilon asked.
In response, Sebial said Pharmally’s financial statements were prepared by their firm’s own accountant.
Her role, she said, is to check the list provided by the company.
“One-time engagement lang po ako…Chineck ko naman po, may listahan po silang ibinigay tapos chineck ko lang po, nag-tally naman po [I check the list and everything tallied],” Sebial told senators.
Prodded further, Sebial told senators she only has access to the list provided by Pharmally and not the actual supporting documents.
Sebial was previously quizzed by senators over the “unusual” P33 million worth of donations supposedly made by Pharmally to several government institutions.
At the time, she also said she was not given the actual deed of donation but only a summary of where the donations, in the form of goods, were given to.
The committee also asked Pharmally executive Twinkle Dargani to provide supporting documents that would support its financial statement which showed it had sales and cost of sales both amounting to over P7 billion in 2020.
