Zubiri says he'll sign Pharmally probe report if allegations vs Duterte are removed
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said Wednesday that he will only sign the draft report on the Blue Ribbon's Pharmally probe, if the allegations against President Rodrigo Duterte will be dropped.
Based on the 113-page partial committee report of the Senate's investigation on the government's questionable deals with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., charges may be considered against Duterte when he steps down from office.
The report claimed that the chief executive "betrayed public trust" when he appointed Michael Yang as an economic adviser to the president in 2018; discredited the Commission on Audit and Senate; reportedly barred his Cabinet and other officials from attending the hearings, among others.
Duterte has since then brushed aside the recommendations of the draft report, saying that there "will be a time to answer them fully and concisely."
Speaking to reporters, Zubiri said Wednesday: "I'll be very honest about it. Kung wala dun 'yung pangalan ni President Duterte for plunder, I would sign it...I don't believe it is right kasi circumstantial evidence eh. By association siya eh."
("If President Duterte's name is not there for plunder, I would sign it. I don't believe it is right because it's based on circumstantial evidence. It's by association.")
Zubiri, who is vying for the Senate presidency in the 19th Congress, said he has no problems if charges are recommended against Pharmally executives.
He explained that "many of them feel the same way", adding that he hopes the report will be amended.
Sen. Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian, who was with him in the briefing, echoed Zubiri's sentiments, adding that he is not signing the report as well.
Nine senators- Blue Ribbon Committee Chair Dick Gordon, Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Koko Pimentel, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, Leila de Lima, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto- have signed the report as of Tuesday, according to an Inquirer.net story.
Two signatures are still needed to complete the nine for the report to go to the plenary.
In a speech on Tuesday, Gordon said the committee report is a symbol of Senate independence, but they had a hard time securing documents which were "refused to be handed over" and there were witnesses and resource people who were "lying."
He claimed President Duterte "sought to entirely discredit the investigation and investigators."
"It was as if the Executive desperately sought to prevent one thing from coming out: the truth," Gordon said.
A total of 18 hearings on the Pharmally deals with the procurement service of the Department of Budget and Management were held over a period of seven months, according to Gordon.
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