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Richard Gordon speaks during a senate inquiry on money laundering and other crimes allegedly linked to the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators at the Senate building in Pasay City on March 4, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Senator Richard Gordon speaks during a senate inquiry on money laundering and other crimes allegedly linked to the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) at the senate building in Pasay City on March 4, 2020. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Daniza Fernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178452132479320200305-senate-hearing-pogo-gordon-JC-7204.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Richard Gordon speaks during a senate inquiry on money laundering and other crimes allegedly linked to the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators at the Senate building in Pasay City on March 4, 2020. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Former Senator Richard Gordon will be presented as witness in the graft trial of former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and former Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, a prosecutor said on Monday.</p><p>Gordon was the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which investigated the alleged irregular transfer of P41-billion funds from the Department of Health (DOH) to the PS-DBM for the procurement of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/8/-sandiganbayan-kicks-off-duque-trial-over-doh-s-pandemic-funds-transfer-1008">Sandiganbayan kicks off Duque trial over DOH&#x27;s controversial pandemic funds transfer</a></div><p>The Sandiganbayan First Division is conducting the hearings on the graft case.</p><p>During Monday’s hearing, the prosecution presented two witnesses: PS-DOH Administrative Officer Jackie Lou Dimatulac and RG Trading Sales Manager Marilou Carpio, who was the former sales and marketing manager of a drug store that supplied medical items during the pandemic.</p><p>The prosecution said the witnesses were presented to show that the DOH was capable of procuring medical items without tapping the PS-DBM.</p><p>During the questioning by the counsels of the accused, Dimatulac noted that her duties do not include the authority to decide whether the DOH should secure medical supplies to its procurement service.</p><p>Carpio, who has been in the medical supply business for about 18 years, said there was a significant increase in the demand of medical items during the pandemic, adding that one supplier alone cannot provide the entire country’s demand.</p><p>She said that the drug store was only able to supply certain items as they lacked others that the DOH needed at that time.</p><p>Carpio also said she had no personal dealings nor transactions with Duque.</p><p>Duque and Lao were represented by their counsels and did not personally attend the hearing.</p><p>The anti-graft court’s first division scheduled the next hearings on August 3 and 17 and every other Monday.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/px_mhgf-wks?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Former Senator Richard Gordon will be presented as witness in the graft case trial against former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and former Department of Budget and Management - Procurement Service Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, a prosecutor said on Monday.</p>

Former Senator Richard Gordon will be presented as witness in the graft case trial against former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and former Department of Budget and Management - Procurement Service Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, a prosecutor said on Monday.

Gordon to be presented as witness in Duque graft trial

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Gordon to be presented as witness in Duque graft trial

Daniza Fernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 20, 2026 12:46 PM PHT

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Sandiganbayan

Francisco Duque

Richard Gordon

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