MANILA, Philippines – Pinuri ni dating Senador Richard Gordon ang pagsasama ng Ombudsman kay Lin Weixiong sa mga taong hinatulan dahil sa graft and corruption na may kaugnayan sa procurement controversy sa Pharmally.
“I wish to thank the Office of the Ombudsman for this development,” ani Gordon, na nanguna sa pag-iimbestiga sa isyu nang ito ay chairman pa ng Senate blue ribbon committee.
“It affirms my belief that there is justice in the Philippines.”
Kinilala rin ni Gordon ang buong team ng blue ribbon committee na pinamunuan ni Director General Rudy Quimbo.
Matatandaan na nag-ugat ang imbestigasyon ng dating sneador sa multibillion-peso government contracts na iginawad ng pamahalaan sa Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. para sa pandemic response equipment and supplies noong Duterte administration.
Binusisi nito ang mga kasunduan na inaprubahan ng dating head ng Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management Lloyd Christopher Lao at dating procurement director at current Overall Deputy Ombudsman Warren Rex Liong.
Kinwestyon ni Gordon kung paano nagbigay ang Duterte administration ng malalaking kontrata sa isang kompanya na itinayo lamang noong 2019, at wala pang track record.
“[Lin] went into hiding, while his wife, Rose Nono Lin, enjoyed the fruits of their plunder by living in Forbes Park as a neighbor of Michael Yang, and riding in luxury cars like the Dargani siblings,” sinabi ni Gordon.
Ang tinutukoy niya ay sina Mohit at Twinkle Dargani na sinubukang umalis ng bansa sa kasagsagan ng Senate inquiry na kalaunan ay nahuli sa Davao International Airport.
Sinabi pa na mayroong “higher ups in the Duterte administration who tried to protect [the summoned personalities] and prevent the Senate’s investigation.”
“How could Lin Weixiong amass all that wealth without the help of key people in the Duterte administration aside from Lao and Liong?” tanong ni Gordon.
“There was definitely a conspiracy which leads to the highest levels of government.”
Dahil sa imbestigasyon, aniya, “we were harassed, insulted, persecuted and even threatened with death by some sectors, yet we chose to adhere to principles and the rule of law.”
“We will never back down from fighting corruption despite the risks to my life because ultimately it is the people who will suffer and have suffered,” pagtatapos ni Gordon. RNT/JGC
