Ex-DBM procurement head Lao appears before Senate probe

MANILA, Philippines — A resigned head of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS), where over P40 billion in funds were transferred for the purchase of COVID-related items in 2020, appeared in a Senate investigation on Wednesday.

Former DBM Undersecretary Christopher Lao through video conference joined the resumption of the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the Department of Health’s (DOH) handling of pandemic funds.

Lao, who resigned last June, was the head of the DBM-PS when “bulk purchases” of masks and face shields were made.

The purchase of these items was questioned by some senators, who said these were bought at a “very suspicious price.”

In a public briefing last week, Lao explained that the face masks and shields flagged as “overpriced” were the cheapest they could find at the time they were procured.

At the beginning of Wednesday’s hearing, Senator Christopher Bong Go once again denied that Lao previously served as his aide.

“Set the record straight, my name was unfairly dragged dito kay USec. Lao ng DBM na sinasabing served as my aide,” he said.

“Kailanman ay hindi ko naging aide si USec. Lao. He was appointed to the Presidential Management Staff at the start of Pres. Duterte’s term until early 2017,” Go added.

Lao, according to the senator, did not “directly report” to him.

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