Senator Risa Hontiveros holds a press conference in Pasay City on March 18, 2024, regarding the contempt case filed against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- Senator Risa Hontiveros will push to reopen the Senate's Pharmally investigation the moment they find a new witness on the P47.6 billion COVID pandemic funds, which was diverted to the PS-DBM (Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management).

"Naghihintay lang talaga kami ng tinatawag na new matter. Bagong resource person na whistle blower, bagong ebidensya," Hontiveros said.

(We're just waiting for a new matter. A new resource person who will be a whistle blower, a new evidence)

But while the Senate is waiting for that "new matter," Hontiveros also expressed her appreciation for the ongoing investigation of other government institutions on the Pharmally deal.

'Laglagan na': Drilon says truth on Pharmally mess starting to come out

"Gaano man katagal, nananalig ako, malalaman pa rin natin ang katotohanan. At masisingil pa rin ang accountability ng lahat ng gumawa ng pera dyan," Hontiveros said.

(Even if it takes a long time, I have faith that we will still be able to know the truth. And we will be able to exact the accountability of those who made money there.)

That payback situation can also include former president Rodrigo Duterte once proven that it was really him who instigated that fund transfer to the PS-DBM, the senator said.

Former Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a House committee hearing on Monday that it was Duterte who actually directed him to transfer the P47.6 billion COVID funds to the PS-DBM. However, in a statement on Tuesday, Duque said his words were taken out of context.

During Wednesday's "Kapihan sa Senado," Hontiveros expressed her disappointment over Duque's quick turnaround on his earlier statement. Hontiveros was former senator Richard Gordon's co-complainant in the Pharmally case filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Duque, if only he did not retract his Monday's testimony before the House Committee on Appropriations, could have "redeemed himself" from the Pharmally mess, and could even pass as a state witness in the Ombudsman case.

Duque: Fund transfer from DOH to PS-DBM during pandemic authorized by Duterte

Duque says statement during House probe 'taken out of context'

"Wow, it was good while it lasted ano? Bumilib na sana ako kay former sec (secretary) Duque. Well, kung ngayon sinasabi nilang he was taken out of context. Unfortunately, that's the oldest excuse in the book para sa aming lahat na nagtatrabaho sa public sphere," Hontiveros said. 

"Kung yan ang sinasabi niya na pina-accelerate lang ni Duterte ang pag-procure. In a way, we're back to square one. 'Yung kanyang posibleng pagiging importanteng resource person para makumpleto na talaga yung imbestigasyon na yun. If he now refuses to really find out the whole truth, it's really his loss. Mostly, it's the loss of the Philippines at tayong mga Pilipino," she added.

With Duque retracting his previous statement, Hontiveros assured the public that they will continue their pursuit to bring to justice those who allegedly abused the people's money.

Hontiveros said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation in the previous Congress was able to unmask the President's men who operated on the COVID funds.

"Kung initiative o ideya mismo ng DOH Sec noon o initiative lang ng president, the fact still stands na yang ganyang improper na transfer ng ganyan kalaking pondo ng walang due diligence ng documentation ay nangyari na panahon ng pandemic, na ginamit para pagkakitaan pa ang hirap na hirap nang mga mamamayang Pilipino, at hirap na hirap nang health sector pati na ng health service providers," Hontiveros pointed out.

(Whether the DOH secretary or the president initiated that, the fact still stands that that kind of improper transfer, involving a huge fund without due diligence and proper documentation happened during the pandemic, that others made money out of this while Filipinos, health workers were reeling with a lot of difficulty.)

Gordon insists Duterte liable in Pharmally mess; Ombudsman says paper trail is limited

In his released statement to ABS-CBN News Tuesday, Duque pointed out that his answers about the transferred P47.6B COVID funds during a House committee hearing were taken differently.

"I replied in the affirmative as Pres. Duterte indeed gave his approval to course the procurement of the said face masks, face shields and PPEs through the PS-DBM, when the DOH sought his position thereon prior to implementation," Duque said.

"After the hearing, however, I have learned that my statement has regrettably been taken out of context," he added.

Former senator Richard Gordon likewise refused to buy Duque's change of tune.

"How can he be taken out of context?... Come on guys, wag naman tayong paloko... Duque cannot hide. And I will lose my respect towards him. Kung ako sa kanya, papanindigan ko yung sinabi nya.. That's the only way he will have his salvation," Gordon told journalists.

"The things speak for themselves. Can this happen? Could that have happened, if the money was not transferred, would this have happened?," Gordon shot back.

With Duque's change of statement, Gordon theorized that the former Health secretary was prodded by his "received phone call" ordering him to retract.

Gordon even showed to the media one of Duterte's quote where he supposedly admitted that it was him who ordered Duque to transfer the COVID funds.

"May tumawag sa kanya... ‘Oy, bakit mo naman ako idinidiin?'," Gordon said then sang a line from the song "Don't Blame Me."

Duque could be charged with perjury for that, he added.

But Gordon ruled out the need to reopen the Senate investigation on the Pharmally deal, citing what he said as his complete penned committee report on the matter, backed by strong pieces of evidence.

Still, he said that the Pharmally deal was only the "surface" of other irregularities.

"You've only skimmed the surface. You only so far been on the P12 billion mark. What about the others? We have not yet touched the expensive computers," Gordon pointed out.

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