MANILA, Philippines — Senate security on Wednesday said it has been unable to arrest former Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao who was cited in contempt last week for flouting blue ribbon panel hearings on the anomalous contracts he awarded to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.
"[W]e attempted to serve the arrest order in his known address in [M]etro [M]anila, but the [r]esidential condo was unoccupied and reported to be in another individual's name," Rene Samonte, Senate sergeant-at-arms, told Philstar.com.
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"We will serve again in at least [four] given addresses in [M]indanao and [the V]isayas, within the next coming days after completing admin and logistical requirements."
Lao, former chief of the Department of Budget and Management's procurement service, is the latest personality involved in the government's controversial deals with its favored pandemic supplier to dodge a warrant for arrest and detention.
He joins Pharmally executives Mohit Dargani and Twinkle Dargani who are still at large despite being cited in contempt for refusing to show the Senate panel source documents related to the firm's transactions with PS-DBM.
Samonte said seven attempts have been made so far to arrest the Dargani siblings since they were first ordered detained on October 19. "Aside from the [two] condos, we served in a residential subdivision which turned out vacant also."
Lao stopped attending the hearings around the same time a memorandum was issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea barring officials from attending hearings related to the blue ribbon's inquiry.
The directive came from President Rodrigo Duterte who has become increasingly frustrated with the inquiry and has defended his appointees, including Lao, who are embroiled in the controversy. But senators, who have vowed to question the memo in the Supreme Court, noted that Lao is no longer a public official and is therefore not covered by the order.
The warrant for Lao's arrest was signed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III on November 5, a day after he skipped his fourth hearing in a row.
READ: The Senate orders the arrest and detention of former Budget Usec. Lloyd Christopher Lao over his refusal to attend Blue Ribbon hearings on October 5, 19, 28, and November 4. @PhilstarNews
— Bella Perez-Rubio (@BellaPerezRubio) November 5, 2021
????: Office of Sen. Richard Gordon pic.twitter.com/eT7CE2BNEL