DAVAO CITY—Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros expressed approval following the Wednesday arrest of former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who was apprehended in Davao City on graft charges related to the procurement of COVID-19 test kits.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lao was detained by the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Barangay 18B, Obrero, pursuant to a Sandiganbayan first division’s arrest warrant dated September 12. The charges against him allege involvement in a scheme to unjustly award PHP4 billion in contracts to a favored supplier during the pandemic crisis. “Time to face the music, Atty. Lao. Oras na para harapin mo ang mga kaso laban sayo (It is time for you to face the cases against you),” Hontiveros stated.
Senator Hontiveros highlighted that Lao’s arrest should prompt him to disclose any higher-ups involved in the misappropriation of COVID-19 funds. She accused Lao and his associates of exploiting public resources at a time when many Filipinos were battling illness, hunger, and unemployment. “Anumang pagtatago at pag-mamagic ninyo, hindi niyo maiiwasan ang pananagutan ninyo sa batas at sa bayan (No matter how much you hide and do magic, you cannot avoid your responsibility to the law and the people),” she remarked.
Further complicating the case, the Office of the Ombudsman has also filed graft charges against Lao along with former health secretary Francisco Duque III over what has been described as the “irregular transfer” of Department of Health funds to the Procurement Service of the DBM for acquiring supplies to combat COVID-19.