Infected Pharmally exec still detained at Senate

MANILA, Philippines — Twinkle Dargani, one of the executives of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. being held at the Senate, will not be transferred to a hospital despite being infected with COVID-19, an official said yesterday.

Senate sergeant-at-arms Rene Samonte told reporters that his office, with “coordination, assistance and advice” of the chamber’s medical bureau, had decided to forgo transferring Dargani to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) or any government isolation facility.

Samonte said aside from the fact that hospitals and quarantine facilities are congested with COVID-19 cases, it would be easier for the Senate doctors to monitor Dargani’s condition.

Dargani, who reportedly manifested mild symptoms of COVID-19, remains in the facility of the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA).

“She complained of itchy throat on Jan. 6 so our duty doctor immediately made arrangements for her reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR test, which turned out positive,” Samonte said.

“So far, she’s manifesting mild symptoms. She is being checked regularly by our medical team,” he added.

Dargani will have another RT-PCR test on Jan. 15 or 16, according to Samonte.

He said the Senate remains on lockdown until session resumes on Jan. 17.

“So there are hardly any people there except some members of the OSAA staff and medical personnel,” Samonte said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III had allowed the transfer of Dargani to the PGH with Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon committee, concurring.

Sotto, however, said he would listen to the recommendation of Samonte, who is responsible for Dargani’s security.