Sotto orders release of detained Pharmally execs Dargani, Ong
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III issued the release orders for detained Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executives Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong, who spent months in Pasay City Jail after getting cited in contempt by the Senate.
Copies of the two release orders shared with the media showed that Dargani and Ong are immediately released as of June 2.
"The Sergeant-At-Arms is hereby directed to deliver this order to Supt. Ramil S. Vestra, DSC, Warden, Pasay City Jail, for immediate implementation," both orders read.
As Senate president, Sotto has the power to issue such orders.
LOOK: The Senate has issued the release order for Pharmally executives Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong today, June 2.
— Angelica Y. Yang (@angelicajourno) June 2, 2022
The order was signed by Senate President Tito Sotto. @PhilstarNews ???? Sergeant-At-Arms Rene Samonte pic.twitter.com/vhFdOUHjmj
He earlier told reporters that he intends to release the detained Pharmally executives, lest he be charged with "illegal detention."
Ong and Dargani earlier wrote to Sotto appealing for their release.
They have been held at Pasay City Jail since November 2021 after the Senate cited them in contempt for not being able to produce financial documents during a hearing.
A partial Blue Ribbon committee report recommended the filing of charges against the two for their involvement in the allegedly anomalous contracts with the Department of Budget and Management's procurement service.
Last year, senators claimed that Pharmally— a start-up with a paid capital of only P625,000 — could have made "ghost deliveries" of face masks, face shields and personal protective equipment amounting to at least P3 billion in 2020.
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