Ombudsman files P11-B plunder complaint vs. Pharmally execs, others over pandemic purchases

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The Office of the Ombudsman has filed an P11-billion plunder complaint against 46 individuals, including officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, over alleged anomalous purchases of personal protective equipment, coronavirus testing kits, among others, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said Friday.

"The Pharmally case... there are 46 respondents [in our complaint], kaya medyo matagal. And many of them have become invisible. Para bang they're trying to evade the jurisdiction of this body," Remulla said.

(The Pharmally case... there are 46 respondents [in our complaint], that's why it took a while. And many of them have become invisible. It's as if they're trying to evade the jurisdiction of this body.)

Remulla said Lloyd Christopher Lao, former head of the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), and businessman Michael Yang, a former economic adviser of former president Rodrigo Duterte, are among the respondents.

In August 2025, Lao pleaded not guilty before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division regarding the alleged anomalous purchase of P4.4-billion worth of medical supplies from Pharmally during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"So, ito 'yung mga pangalan, they cannot be located in their known addresses. And all the attempts to find them have failed," Remulla added, referring to the 23 out of the 46 who cannot be located.

The 23 include:

• Huang Tzu Yen, Pharmally chairman
• Twinkie Dargani, Pharmally president
• Mohit Dargani, Pharmally corporate secretary and treasurer
• Linconn Uy Ong, Pharmally director
• Krizle Grace Mago, Pharmally head of regulatory affairs
• Lin Wei Xiong, Pharmally financial manager; associate of Michael Yang
• Rose Nono Lin, Pharmally biological officer
• Yang Hong Ming aka Michael Yang, former economic adviser to former president Rodrigo Duterte; tagged as Pharmally financier
• Yang Hong Jiang (Tany Yang), Brother of Michael Yang; Pai Li Holdings director
• Jayson Uson, Pai Li Holdings / Pai Hong Realty director
• Yuqin Zheng, Pai Li Holdings director
• Justine Garado, Pharmally director
• Mervin Ian Tanquintic, former PS-DBM personnel
• Alvin Fernandez
• Gilbert Recluta
• Orly Delos Reyes
• Nelson Taguik
• Gerald Cruz
• Adriano I. Po, Jr.
• Ma. Joycelynn Lee Rodriguez
• Mark Augustine Lee Rodriguez
• Michael Angelo Santos Rodriguez
• Mikhail Francesco Lee Rodriguez