MANILA, Philippines — Senators have reacted to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation’s Krizle Grace Mago’s retraction of her previous statement that they delivered expired face shields to the government amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Richard Gordon denied putting Mago under pressure, stressing that the questions thrown at her were done in a calm manner.
“She was under pressure, she says? But the questions posed to her were delivered in calm and very measured manners. That she recanted? What do you expect? She has been taken into the bosom of Pharmally and interests protective of the administrations’ interest— no matter how vile,” Gordon said.
“Nakipagyakapan na siya sa demonyo, makakawala pa ba iyan?” the senator added.
Senator Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, maintained that Mago’s statement came out of her naturally and no pressure was used against her.
“What is a ‘pressured response’ ? Ms. Mago’s statement was spontaneous, with no trace of any ‘pressure’ being exerted,” Drilon said.
The senator stressed that Mago’s statement was on video, under oath.
“Note that she did not deny making the statement that the government was swindled,” he said.
“Her statement that ‘she’s not in the best frame of mind to think clearly’ is totally self-serving, and does not have any value and cannot be corroborated,” Drilon further said.
Senator Francis Pangilinan also expressed doubt on the reliability of Mago’s retraction.
“Rehearsed witness ang tawag dyan. Iisa ang layunin niya at ang mga opisyal ng Pharmally at pati si Michael Yang, ang magsinungaling at magkabalubaluktot ang testimonya kahit huling huli na,” Pangilinan said.
Sen. Koko Pimentel likewise believes that this turn of events will destroy Mago’s credibility.
“Masisira yung credibility niya. Kung anuman ang sasabihin niya from now on medyo magdududa na tayo. Tandaan ninyo, na yung hearing was a remote hearing, online hearing yun eh. Ibig sabihin nun walang taga-Senado, o walang taga-Senate Blue Ribbon Committee o walang senador na nandon sa kwarto kung nasaan sya at mape-pressure ka dahil nakaharap mo yung tao,” Pimentel said.
The senator underscored that with Mago’s retraction, her future statement will always be cast with doubt.
“‘Yung mga sasabihin mo na after the retraction, may big question na po parati yun na kasama,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros has issued a press release denouncing Mago’s recantation.
“Let us remember that Ms. Mago was under oath when she was speaking before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing. Questions were only directed to her and she, in fact, answered forthrightly.
Hontiveros questioned the force that could have been behind Mago’s retraction.
“Kung mayroon mang nagpe-pressure sa kanya, yan siguro ay isang napakamakapangyarihang pwersa para lang bawiin ang kanyang mga naunang sinabi sa amin,” Hontiveros said.
The senator also challenged Mago to have the Senate transcript and video reviewed.
“By all means, balikan natin ang Senate transcript at ang video ng hearing,” the lady senator said, maintaining that Mago even admitted tampering with the face shields’ production year certificates.
“She even said, ‘that’s something I cannot deny.’ Itinuro pa nga nya si Mohit Dargani, saying she was only following instructions,” Hontiveros stressed.
And when senators asked her “if Pharmally is swindling government, she said, and I quote, ‘I believe so,’” the senator added.
“Pressured response? It is sad that Ms. Mago feels this way. Telling the truth is a relief. The greatest pressure is to lie. Ngunit naniniwala akong lalabas at lalabas ang katotohanan. Sana lang, sa huli, manaig ang kanyang konsensya,” Hontiveros further said. —/mbmf
The post Senate reacts to Mago’s retraction appeared first on UNTV News.