(UPDATE) LLOYD Christopher Lao, the former head of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), has been arrested in Davao City, reports reaching the Philippine National Police said.
Lao, 47, was arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 11 in Davao City.
A warrant of arrest was issued by the Sandiganbayan on September 12.
Lao was accused of favoring several companies, including Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., allegedly linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte through his former economic adviser Michael Yang.
Lao awarded at least P8.5 billion in contracts to Pharmally to supply face masks, face shields, PPE and test kits during the Covid-19 pandemic, even if the company had only P625,000 in capital.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros was hopeful that Lao would finally identify the “big boss” behind the misuse of Covid-19 pandemic funds amounting to over P8 billion.
In a statement on Wednesday, Hontiveros said Lao’s arrest “should serve as a lesson to all who misuse and abuse their public positions to serve evil ends.”
“Now that he is in the hands of law, let’s hope that he admits who was the ‘big boss’ who masterminded and benefitted from billions of Covid-19 [pandemic] funds,” she said in Filipino.
“Atty. Lao and his cohorts should be held liable for the abuse of national coffers while many Filipinos were sick, hungry and unemployed at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she added.
Addressing Lao, Hontiveros said, “Time to face the music, Atty. Lao. It is time for you to face the charges filed against you.”
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