Keep tight watch on Pharmally

WITH the 2022 elections drawing near and the Duterte administration's approval rating in fighting corruption dropping by 12 points in the latest survey, Malacañang appears to be slowly distancing itself from the Senate probe into Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp.'s multibillion-peso contracts with the government.

After weeks of devoting a substantial part of his "Talk to the People" briefings to attacks against the senators pursuing the probe, President Rodrigo Duterte has quieted down. On Saturday, his spokesperson, Harry Roque, assured the public that the administration will run after Pharmally and its officials if it is proven that they did not pay the proper taxes after obtaining P8.7 billion worth of contracts to supply face masks, face shields and other pandemic equipment to the government. Roque said the government would not tolerate companies with tax liabilities.