Gordon: 3 senators hesitant to sign draft report on Pharmally probe

MANILA, Philippines — Three senators are hesitant to sign a Senate panel’s draft partial report on its probe on the government’s transactions with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. because they want President Rodrigo Duterte excluded from those who should be held accountable, Senator Richard Gordon said Saturday.

According to Gordon, 11 senators have already committed to support the report of the Senate blue ribbon committee being chaired by Gordon.

“Maraming senador na ang nagcommit. Labing isa sila. ‘Yung tatlo minumuni-muni pa kung pipirmahan nila na maglalagay sila ng amendment dahil ayaw nilang masangkot ang Pangulo. Nag-aalangan sila kung mayroon daw tayong sapat na katibayan laban sa Pangulo,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(Eleven senators have already committed to support it. Three others are still thinking if they will sign it with an amendment because they don’t want the President to be involved. They are having second thoughts on whether we have sufficient proof against the President.)

Gordon refused to name the three senators, but he said they have promised to study the report first.

“Nangako naman sila sa akin na pag-aaralan nila at hinihintay ko muna, pero nangako na sila na pipirma sila. Sabi nila pipirmahan nila. Ina-address lang nila ‘yung concern nila sa Pangulo,” he added.

(They promised to study the report and I am just waiting for their decision. But they promised they would sign it. They are just addressing their concern about the President.)

The panel’s draft report recommended administrative and criminal charges against several personalities, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, former procurement head Christopher Lao, Pharmally executives, and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang.

READ: ‘He must be held accountable’: Senate panel draft report recommends charges vs Duterte after term

The report also recommended to hold Duterte accountable for “betraying the public trust” and accused him of complicity in “one of the biggest plunders of the Philippines’ coffers in recent history” that involved his friends and appointees.

Gordon said that the three hesitant senators should sign the report that was made after several hearings.

“Sabi ko pirmahan niyo na lang para lumabas na sa committee dahil kahit na hindi lumabas ‘yan, official document na ‘yan dahil official na oras ng gobyerno ang ginamit dyan, maraming oras ang ginugol natin, gumastos ang gobyerno, marami tayong tinawag na mga testigo,” the senator said.

(I told them to just sign it so that it will pass the committee, because even if it does not, that is already an official document and we already used official government hours and funds and summoned many witnesses.)

“Kung hindi pipirmahan dahil alangan kayo sa relasyon niyo sa Pangulo, hindi naman maganda ‘yan. Dapat pirmahan natin para mapag-usapan sa Senado at masupalpal o mapatunayan ang sinasabi ng committee pagbalik natin sa Senado after the elections,” he added.

(If they will not sign it because they are concerned about their relationship with the President, that is not good. They should sign it so that we can discuss it in the Senate and contest or prove the claims of the committee when we return to the Senate after the elections.)

After all, the senators should serve the interest of the people and not of the President, said Gordon.

“Kung ang tuntunin mo ay ang pagkakaibigan mo sa Presidente, hindi maganda ’yun. Kung ang tuntunin mo ay ’yung karapatan ng tao at ’yung tungkulin mo sa bayan at ’yung tama, ’yun ang dapat mong sundin,” he said.

(If your duty is for your friendship with the President, that is not good. Your duty is for the rights of the people and the nation.)

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