No Senate request yet for lookout order on Pharmally execs

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) will hand down a lookout bulletin order (LBO) only upon receipt of a formal request by the Senate in connection with its ongoing investigation on the supply contracts entered into by government with suppliers of medical supplies.

DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday told reporters that a Senate request for an LBO for eight persons has yet to reach his office.

“The DOJ will issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against anyone upon receipt of a proper request from a person in interest, more so from a co-equal branch of government,” Guevarra said, adding that he may get the request “until tomorrow (Tuesday)”.

Former presidential adviser Michael Yang was earlier mentioned by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee as among those who will be issued an LBO.

Yang was reportedly suffering from hypertension, according to his lawyer, Raymond Fortun, and did not attend the Senate probe on Monday.

Guevarra is not aware if the eight persons include officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, which is being accused of supplying alleged overpriced medical supplies last year at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He is only certain that the request is related to the ongoing Blue Ribbon inquiry.

“The Senate inquiry involves Pharmally, among others, but I’m not sure about the respective connection of these eight individuals to Pharmally,” he said.