In Baguio City, one can buy a face mask at P5.00 per piece and a face shield at P15.00.
In a Senate investigation, however, it was shown that the government had been buying such items at more than five times the prices. Using our money or taxpayers’ money, the government had been buying face masks at P27.00 per piece and face shields at P120.00 per piece. The total amount used for these and other items used or to be used in combatting the pandemic which Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation supplied amounted to a total of P8.68 billion.
This made so many Filiinos’ blood to boil. But it appears that the DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporters) have increased in number or have become a lot noisier, even if billions of our money were misspent or squandered, or lost to corruption.
It was also revealed in the investigation that the government official in the DBM involved in the deal or deals was from Davao and a former adviser to the President. Also the top officials of the said holding company were associated with a former adviser to the President.
And it was uncovered that Pharmally whose holding company is Pharmally International Holding Company has top ranking executives who are fugitives in Taiwan for financial and securities fraud. embezzlement and stock manipulation. This led Sen. Hontiveroz to ask, “Why is this government transacting with fugitives?”
Is it a case of birds of the same feather flocking together? **