Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7) — The chairman of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation surfaced in a Senate hearing on Tuesday that is looking into why the local company was awarded a government deal despite allegedly overpriced medical supplies related to the pandemic.
Pharmally Pharmaceutical Chairman and President Huang Tzu Yen virtually attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the Department of Health’s budget utilization from his home in Singapore.
The 31-year-old executive, who said he is a Singaporean national, told senators he has been aware that he has a standing arrest warrant in Taiwan for breach of trust issued in December last year. He argued that he only found out about it online this March since he has not received any formal subpoenas nor update from Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau.
He also said he is not aware of the whereabouts of his father Huang Wen Lieh, chairman of Pharmally International Holding Company Limited, who is also wanted in what is considered as one of the largest securities fraud cases involving a listed firm in Taiwan.
“I don’t know the whereabouts of my father. I have been estranged from him since early 2020. I have not seen him,” he told senators.
Panel chair Richard Gordon asked him if he was worried about the safety of his father, who is suspected of manipulating the stocks of his company.
“I’m worried but he’s disappeared,” the younger Huang replied.
The Senate committee is filing a motion to cite in contempt officials of Pharmally for failing to attend the fourth hearing. The officials are Mohit Dargani, reported to be in Dubai; Twinkle Dargani; Justine Garado; Linconn Ong; and Krizle Grace Mago.
Since the start of the pandemic, Pharmally Pharmaceutical has been awarded ₱8.68 billion in government contracts — more than any other supplier. The young executive is the biggest shareholder, owning 40% of the stocks, as of July 2020.
Malacañang defended the contract awarded to Pharmally, saying the corporation is a separate entity from the owners who are facing cases abroad.
