Pharmally Scandal: The Billion-Peso Heist That Keeps on Giving

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — March 31, 2025

IF THERE were an Olympic event for corruption, the Pharmally scandal would take gold, silver, and bronze—while taxpayers get the participation trophy of ‘most gullible.’ A pandemic should have been a test of leadership; instead, it became a jackpot for a privileged few. Welcome to the grand heist, where public funds disappear faster than vaccine slots. Let’s dig in.

1. The Setup: Duterte’s Pandemic Cash Grab

Picture 2020: the Philippines is choking on COVID, and who gets the lifeline? Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation—a rinky-dink outfit with P625,000 in capital and no résumé. Under Rodrigo Duterte’s watch, they scored P11.5 billion in contracts for shoddy PPE (Pharmally scandal – Wikipedia). This wasn’t a fluke; it was a feature of Duterte’s reign. How does a nobody company hit the jackpot unless the game’s rigged?

2. Legal Limelight: Graft’s a Slap, Where’s the Plunder Punch?

By March 30, 2025, the Ombudsman’s tossing RA 3019, Section 3(e) graft charges like confetti—Lloyd Christopher Lao and Pharmally execs are in the crosshairs for “undue injury” and “unwarranted benefits” over P4 billion in PPE sales (New graft indictments vs Lao, Pharmally bosses over P4 billion worth of PPEs). Lao’s brief September 2024 jail stint (and swift bail) proves the system’s half-awake (Plunder raps urged in Pharmally scandal | Philstar.com).

But RA 7080 plunder charges? MIA. With P11.5 billion in play—way past the P50 million plunder threshold—why are we still nickel-and-diming? Republic v. Sandiganbayan (401 SCRA 199, 2003) demands intent and injury for graft; they’ve got that. Plunder’s bigger fish—personal enrichment—sits untouched. Are prosecutors scared, or just saving the knockout for later?

3. Political Apocalypse: Duterte’s Legacy Goes Down in Flames

Public trust? Torched. Duterte’s tough-guy cred? Buried under Pharmally’s rubble. He’s dodged charges as of March 2025, but the stink clings. Enter Michael Yang, Duterte’s ex-adviser and Pharmally’s fairy godfather, caught on tape cozying up with the company in 2017 (Michael Yang denies involvement in Pharmally, but admits introducing them to suppliers | GMA News Online). Coincidence, or the puppet master’s strings?

The Ombudsman’s 2024-2025 moves—sacking Duque, nailing Lao—look tough, but smell like selective cleanup. Why’s the top dog still wagging his tail, unscathed?

4. Gordon’s Warpath: Senate Bulldog or Grandstanding Gadfly?

Richard Gordon didn’t just probe Pharmally; he lit it up. Leading the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, he exposed rushed contracts under the Bayanihan Acts, defective gear, and a procurement process that stank of favoritism (LIST: Everything you need to know about the Pharmally pandemic deals scandal). His push for plunder charges against Duterte calls it the “biggest scam” (Ex-senator blames Duterte for Pharmally scandal, calls it ‘biggest scam’ | Philstar.com). Political theater? Maybe. But with billions and Yang’s Duterte link, he’s got a case. Noble cause or personal glory—does it matter if he’s right?

5. Ethical Meltdown: Rules? What Rules?

RA 6713—the Code of Conduct—demands public interest and professionalism (Section 4). Pharmally’s jackpot spits in its face. RA 9184, the Procurement Reform Act, screams transparency (Section 3); emergency or not, this was a blackout (Section 65 penalties ignored) (Pharmally scandal – Wikipedia).

Why Pharmally? Corruption’s the sexy answer—insiders like Yang pulling levers. Incompetence is the boring one—a government too dumb to check credentials. Pick your poison; the system’s still a cesspool. Who’s kidding who here?

6. Fix the Damn Mess: Accountability or Bust

Lock Down Procurement: Emergency powers shouldn’t mean blank checks. Tweak RA 9184 for real-time audits and public dashboards—let’s see the cash move.
Drag Duterte In: His clean hands are a fairy tale. Subpoena Yang’s books, audit Duterte’s SALN (still $550,000 in 2025—cute). Plunder’s fair game if the trail’s hot—Laurel v. Garcia (187 SCRA 797, 1990) says do it right.
Burn the Loopholes: RA 3019’s too soft—slash plunder’s threshold or lighten the proof load. Courts need to speed up; justice on a snail’s pace is a joke.

No mincing words: If Duterte skates while his cronies fry, the Philippines is a VIP club for crooks. Rip the Band-Aid off already.

Parting Shot

Pharmally isn’t a glitch; it’s the system baring its teeth. Duterte’s legacy’s a smoking crater, the courts are tiptoeing, and Gordon’s the lone wolf howling for blood. Fix it, or watch the next billion vanish. Who’s got the spine to step up?