Palace claims Executive branch helped out in arrest of Pharmally’s Dargani siblings

FILE PHOTO: Mohit Dargani (left) and Twinkle Dargani of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.

MANILA, Philippines — The Executive branch also played a role in the arrest of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executives Twinkle and Mohit Dargani in Davao City on Sunday, Malacañang claimed on Monday.

The Dargani siblings were arrested in Davao City, President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown, on Sunday afternoon aboard a private plane bound for Kuala Lumpur. The arrest was made by the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the siblings would not have been arrested if not for the cooperation of the Executive department since the airport was under the authority of the said branch of government.

“I don’t think it can be done without the cooperation of the Executive branch, kasi ang airport po is under the Executive branch,” he said.

“Obviously, the airport is under authority of the Executive branch. So, it could have been ignored, pinayagan dapat silang lumipad kung gugustuhin pero hindi nga po sila pinayagang lumipad,” he added.

(They could have been allowed to leave but they were not because the airport is under the authority of the Executive branch.)

READ: Pharmally’s Dargani siblings nabbed in Davao City aboard plane bound for Malaysia

The Dargani siblings had been cited for contempt and ordered detained in the Senate for their “refusal” to submit documents earlier subpoenaed by the blue ribbon committee. They had since apparently gone into hiding.

Pharmally is currently at the center of the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation about the government’s purchase of allegedly overpriced medical supplies amid the pandemic.

KGA