A CHINESE company that supplied face masks to Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Inc. was compelled to amend its tax payment to the government due to the ongoing Senate probe into the deficiencies in the use of pandemic funds released to the Department of Health (DOH).
During the resumption of the Senate inquiry led by the Senate blue ribbon committee on Friday, September 24, 2021, TigerPhil official Albert Sy said they amended earlier the day their annual income tax for 2020 to P1.1 million from their initial payment of P553,000.
Senator Panfilo Lacson said based on their financial statement in 2020, the firm declared its sales only at P3.4 million when it should be around P21 million, including its transactions with Pharmally.
“Kung hindi po nagkaroon ng ganitong hearing, will you pay your taxes?” said Lacson, in to which Sy responded in affirmative.
“Why (pay) just now?” the senator added.
Committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon scored at President Rodrigo Duterte, saying such developments make their investigation matter.
In defending the DOH and the administration over corruption allegations in the procurement of medical supplies at the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, Duterte said nothing happens in the probe being conducted by the Senate and it is only being used by some lawmakers for their personal motive, especially for the upcoming national elections.
The 500,000 medical face masks delivered by Pharmally to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on March 25, 2020 was sourced from TigerPhil. (SunStar Philippines)