Mon Abrea joined last Tuesday’s panel during the recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee about the Commission on Audit (COA) report on the Department of Health (DOH) budget issues.
Abrea, the Chairman and CEO of the Asian Consulting Group (ACG), appeared as the resource person on the public hearing held Tuesday afternoon for the 2020 COA report and other issues about DOH’s budget utilization, with most emphasis on expenditures related to its fight against COVID-19.
Upon his appearance, The Philippine Tax Whiz cited the importance of the public’s right to know, especially at the height of the Senate’s investigation against Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation and its allegation of questionable profit surge and overpricing of its medical products.
Previous reports said that the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) transacted with the small company Pharmally, which managed to bank on a paid-up capital of around P625,000 but secured over P8 billion worth of government contracts for the procurement of PPEs.
Of course, part of the questioning involves whether the defrauded pharmaceutical firm has complied with their tax obligations, now with whooping figures being the talk of the court.
The government agency, through its former chief, ex-Budget undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao was also under fire for the said allegations.
Abrea is set to attend this Friday’s hearing as the Senate continues its investigation against Pharmally.
