Drilon: Pharmally executives will be freed from Pasay City jail on June 30, not June 3

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Wednesday, May 18, said Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation executives would be out of the Pasay City jail on June 30, not June 3.

The opinion of Drilon, a former Senate President and former Justice Secretary, is diametrically opposed to the opinion of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III that the Pharmally officials would be freed on June 3, the day the Senate and the House of Representatives go on a sine die adjournment.

Drilon explained that June 3 is the end of the third regular session of the 18th Congress.

He said the contempt charges slapped against Pharmally executives by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee would be automatically extinguished when Congress adjourns and closes its doors on June 30.

Two Pharmally officials— Mohit Dargani, treasurer, and Linconn Ong, director—have been detained at the Pasay City jail since November.

Also slapped with contempt was Mohit’s sister, Twinkle, Pharmally president.

Twinkle was earlier detained at the Senate Office of the Sergeant at Arms (OSAA), but was allowed to be placed under house arrest because she tested positive for Covid-19.

Mohit Dargani and Ong were ordered detained by Senator Richard J, Gordon, committee chairman, after they failed or refused to submit corporate documents relating to their more than ₱10-billion contract with the Procurement ServiceDepartment of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) to deliver Covid-19 medical supplies.

Drilon had stated that the Pharmally-DBM contract appeared to be overpriced.