Ex-procurement service executive director arrested

Metro Manila, Philippines – Authorities arrested a former procurement service official tagged in the supposed overpriced COVID-19 supplies on Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Davao City.

The Davao police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group served an arrest warrant that stemmed from graft charges against ex-Budget Department Procurement Service Executive Director Lloyd Christopher Lao.

The charge has a ₱90,000 bail. The police said Lao was apprised of the nature of his apprehension and constitutional rights.

Former Senator Richard Gordon, then chairman of the blue ribbon committee that investigated the scandal, welcomed Lao’s arrest but flagged the bail amount.

“The bail set at P90,000 appears to be very small compared to the billions of pesos stolen from the Filipino people,” he said in a statement.

Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Lao to name the “big boss” behind the COVID-19 fund “corruption.”

“Kailangang managot si Atty. Lao at ang mga kasabwat niya, sa pang-abuso at pagkamkam sa kaban ng bayan, habang maraming Pilipino ang may sakit, nagugutom at walang hanapbuhay noong kasagsagan ng COVID-19 pandemic,” Hontiveros said in a separate statement.

[Translation: Atty. Lao and his cohorts need to be accountable for abusing and pocketing public funds, while many Filipinos were sick, hungry, and jobless during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.]

The Ombudsman filed charges against Lao and former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III for the alleged irregular transfer of funds from the Health Department to the DBM for the purchase of medical supplies including personal protective equipment.

Despite having a capital of ₱625,000, the government supplier Pharmally bagged ₱11 billion in government contracts.

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.