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Sotto signs release order for Pharmally executives

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE)</strong> – Outgoing Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday night signed the release order for detained executives of the controversial Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.</p><p>According to the release order, Pharmally officials Mohit Dargani and Linconn Ong are scheduled to be released from Pasay City Jail custody about 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 2.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Tingnan: Kopya ng release order nina Linconn Ong at Mohit Dargani. <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABSCBNNews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DZMMTeleRadyo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DZMMTeleRadyo</a> <a href="https://t.co/kCbzUZfnh2">pic.twitter.com/kCbzUZfnh2</a></p>— robert mano (@robertmanodzmm) <a href="https://twitter.com/robertmanodzmm/status/1531996698310225921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2022</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>The detained executives were supposed to be released on Wednesday night, but the Senate release order had yet to be issued.</p><p>Sotto earlier said Ong and Dargani will be released after the last session of the 18th Congress.</p><p>According to Ferdinand Topacio, the Pharmally officials&#x27; legal counsel, both executives are excited to rejoin their families.</p><p>Ong and Dargani were detained because they refused to cooperate with the Senate investigation over the government&#x27;s allegedly overpriced and anomalous pandemic deals with Pharmally.</p><p>Sen. Franklin Drilon had said that their detention is based on what the Supreme Court said about their cases.</p><p>Topacio said his clients are ready to face legal charges in court.</p><p>&quot;We welcome that to clear my client&#x27;s name. At least po sa korte, may rules, supporting rules of fair play, may procedure, at may legal representation,&quot; he said.</p><p>Last year, Ong asked the Supreme Court to nullify a Senate contempt order that led to his detention over his refusal to cooperate in the probe on the allegedly overpriced and anomalous pandemic deals.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/07/21/detained-pharmally-exec-seeks-scs-help-vs-senate">Pharmally&#x27;s Linconn Ong seeks SC&#x27;s help vs Senate&#x27;s contempt order</a></li></ul><p>In April, Dargani filed a complaint before the Supreme Court against a Court of Appeals justice for allegedly sitting on his bid to be released, a claim CA Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr. refuted.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/07/22/pharmallys-mohit-dargani-files-complaint-vs-ca-justice">Pharmally’s Mohit Dargani files complaint vs CA justice seeking SC post</a></li></ul><p>The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee had recommended the filing of charges against Health Sec. Francisco Duque III and other Pharmally officials, including Dargani and Ong.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/01/22/senate-blue-ribbon-seeks-raps-vs-duque-pharmally-execs-over-pandemic-deals">&#x27;Public funds plundered&#x27;: Senate committee seeks raps vs Duque, Pharmally execs</a></li></ul><p>Dargani&#x27;s sister, Twinkle, had also been detained in the Senate but was later released on humanitarian considerations.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/10/22/senate-releases-pharmallys-twinkle-dargani-from-custody">Senate releases Twinkle Dargani from custody on humanitarian considerations</a></li></ul><div><strong>—Reports from Sherrie Ann Torres and Jeffrey Hernaez, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2059556" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Sotto earlier said Ong and Dargani will be released after the last session of the 18th Congress.