Ex-DBM exec Lao of Pharmally mess asks Senate clearance to travel abroad

Former PS-DBM chief Usec. Christopher Lloyd Lao. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Lloyd Christopher Lao, the embattled former head of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) tagged in the Pharmally scandal, has asked the Senate blue ribbon committee to give him clearance from any case so that he may be allowed to travel abroad.

This was revealed by Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Senator Francis Tolentino on Thursday during the hearing on the Department of Education’s (DepEd) procurement of alleged “outdated and pricey” laptops for teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nagpadala kayo ng liham sa akin noong nakaraang linggo. Ang tenor ng letter ninyo ay humihingi kayo ng pahintulot, mabigyan kayo ng certificate na kayo ay payagan nang makapagtravel. Hindi sa Pilipinas kung hindi siguro sa abroad, at ma-lift na ‘yung hold departure order niyo,” Tolentino said, addressing Lao, who attended the hearing virtually.

(You sent a letter to my office in the past week, asking permission, a certificate that you be allowed to travel, not in the Philippines but abroad, and that the hold departure order against you be lifted.)

Tolentino said that he has referred the matter to the members of the blue ribbon committee for their collegial decision, acknowledging that Lao was tagged in the investigation of the committee on the controversial deal of the government with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. in 2020.

The blue ribbon committee, during the 18th Congress, investigated the Department of Heath’s purchase of allegedly “overpriced” pandemic supplies from Pharmally, under the direction of PS-DBM. The procurement included face masks and face shields.

In September last year, the Department of Justice has released an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) against Lao, and seven other personalities upon the request of then Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Then in November the same year, the Senate has ordered the arrest of Lao after citing him for contempt for skipping the hearings of the blue ribbon committee on the Pharmally mess.

READ: Senate orders arrest of former PS-DBM exec Lao for skipping blue ribbon probe

In Lao’s letter to Tolentino, which was flashed during the hearing, the former PS-DBM official asked for a clearance of a certification that he has “no pending case, contempt charges, and/or warrant of arrest before the blue ribbon committee.”

This, he said, is “just and equitable” considering that the 18th Congress has since been concluded and the Pharmally investigation has been terminated.

“In view of the culmination of the 18th Congress, and the consequent termination of the said Senate investigation, the issuance of the requested clearance/certificate is just and equitable under the circumstances,” Lao’s letter read.

Such clearance or certification will be used by the undersigned in requesting for the lifting of the ILBO issued by the Department of Justice as a result of the subject Senate investigation,” it further read.

For Lao’s request, Tolentino directed the committee secretary to draft a letter addressed to Lao, as well as coordinate with the various offices of the committee’s members to “find out their collective decision.”

“Nasa kamay na ‘yan ng miyembro ng blue ribbon committee kung ano ang magiging decision,” the senator said.

EDV