- Former high government official linked to Pharmally arrested in Davao City
THE FORMER head of the Procurement Service, an attached agency of the Department of Budget was arrested around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, for his alleged involvement in the Pharmally scam.
He faces a charge under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly conspiring to award P4 billion in contracts to purchase COVID-19 test kits.
According to a report obtained by TIMES from a CIDG operative, Lao was arrested by the CIDG XI and Special Operating Team (RSOT11) in conjunction with CIDG NCRFU and the Davao City Field Unit.
He is accused of violating Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) with a recommended bail of P90,000, as issued by Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega, chairperson of the First Division, Sandiganbayan, Quezon City, on Sept. 12, 2024.
According to a report, investigators found former Lao and 12 others liable for graft in the biggest corruption scandal during the pandemic and recommended their criminal prosecution for conspiring to award P4 billion in contracts for COVID-19 test kits to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. which they treated as a “favored” supplier.
The arrested individual was fully informed of the nature of his arrest and his constitutional rights in a language he understood.
TIMES has not yet been able to obtain a statement from the arrested individual or his representatives. He was then brought to the CIDG Regional Field Unit XI office for processing.
