Dargani siblings flight issue

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝟏.𝟖𝟓 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

According to documents obtained by Sen. Risa Hontiveros' office, the flight ferrying Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. executives Mohit and Twinkle Dargani to Davao City, and later, Malaysia, cost USD 37,000 or P1.85 million, and the two were still allowed to board the plane after being checked by immigration personnel. It's still unknown who paid the money to fly the two to Kuala Lumpur.

Sen. Richard Gordon said in a statement at the time that the Dargani siblings were caught at the Davao Airport in Davao City on Sunday, November 14, as they attempted to flee "via an executive privately chartered jet to Malaysia."

Hontiveros presented the confidential contract detailing the flight's cost and the incident report of the arrest obtained by her office at a press conference on Wednesday, questioning why the two siblings were allowed to board when an immigration lookout bulletin had been issued against them at the time.

If any of the respondents attempt to leave the country via any of the international airports or seaports, a watch bulletin order requires immigration agents to immediately notify the Office of the Secretary of Justice and the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The two siblings have been held in the Senate since November 14 after being found in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. They'll stay until they hand over important documents connected to the firm's government transactions, which the committee is investigating.

Daryl Ritchie Valles, one of four lawyers named by the Dargani siblings as their legal counsel, was previously accused of attempting to conceal his ties to the Palace after Sen. Richard Gordon's staff discovered that he is listed as Director IV at the Office of the Special Assistant to the President in the Office of the President's directory.

Hontiveros also questioned the flight's cost, given that they had already paid their income taxes.

Mohit Dargani paid P22,000 pesos in 2019, according to the senator, while Twinkle's data was unavailable. Mohit paid more than P97,000 pesos in taxes during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, when Pharmally had obtained large deals with the government, while Twinkle paid P1,000.