Lloyd Christopher Lao has asked for the certification to request the Bureau of Immigration to lift the order issued in September 2021 when he was investigated by the Senate for his involvement in the government’s contracts with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.
“The undersigned respectfully requests for a clearance or certification that he has no pending case, contempt charges, and/or warrant of arrest before the Blue Ribbon Committee,” he wrote in a letter addressed to the Senate committee’s chairman, Francis Tolentino.
Lao said the issuance of the clearance is the “just and equitable” action.
Tolentino said he received the letter last week, adding the panel will issue its decision on Lao’s request soon.
The Senate committee in the 18th Congress sought fraud charges against Lao in connection with the COVID-19 response funds controversy.
Lao returned to the spotlight as the Senate investigates PS-DBM’s role in the procurement of allegedly overpriced and outdated laptops for DepEd.
He virtually attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry on Thursday.
The Senate panel is looking into the Commission on Audit’s (COA) report on DepEd that flagged the purchase of laptops for teachers which cost over ₱58,000 each.
The estimated approved price was only around ₱35,000. The procurement deal was coursed through PS-DBM.
Due to the huge price difference, state auditors said only 39,583 units were acquired instead of the intended 68,500.
COA further noted that the base price of the same model in the market — but with a better screen — is only around ₱22,490 to ₱25,000.
Despite being more expensive, teachers reported the slow performance of the entry-level laptops that had old processors.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 25) – Amid the inquiry on the Department of Education’s (DepEd) overpriced and outdated laptops, the former head of the Procurement Service of the Department Budget and Management (PS-DBM) has sought to lift the immigration lookout bulletin order against him so he can travel.
Minutes into the hearing, Lao asked to be excused, saying he was not the PS-DBM executive director when the agency bought the laptops for DepEd.
He said he left in the latter part of April 2021.
Tolentino declined the request, saying documents show Lao allegedly signed some of the procurement agreements.
The embattled former official later said he only reached the part wherein PS-DBM conducted a market survey for the laptops.
