SC nullifies contempt, arrest order vs Pharmally execs

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 13) – The Supreme Court (SC) has granted the petition of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation executives Linconn Ong and Michael Yang to nullify the implementation of the Senate’s contempt and arrest orders against them.

In its decision, the SC said the order of arrest against the implicated company executives violated their rights to due process. But the SC did not agree with the accusation of the petitioners that the Senate had encroached into the contempt power of the judiciary.

Ong previously said the basis of the contempt order is vague as the phrase «testifies falsely and vaguely» did not indicate how it can be committed nor give any restriction of the Senate's discretion.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cited Ong and Yang for giving false and evasive testimonies during the hearing on Pharmally’s contract with the government in purchasing COVID-19 medical supplies.

READ: Pharmally executive arrives in Senate for detention

The Senate found that Pharmally, which was only six months old at the time, secured an ₱8.6-billion deal with the health department of the Duterte administration in 2020 despite declaring only ₱625,000 in their paid-up capital.

The legislators pointed to Yang, who was also former President Rodrigo’s adviser, as one of the actors who helped Pharmally get the deal from the government.

Senators also flagged that Pharmally sold face masks to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management at around ₱27 per piece when other suppliers sold the same at only ₱13.