President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. to continue attending the Senate probe into the government’s allegedly overpriced purchase of medical items.
“Kung tawagin niyo, paulit-ulit na naman, sabagay naumpisahan na kasi, Secretary Duque, I will allow him to go [and] complete his story,” Duterte said in a taped address aired on Thursday.
Duterte also gave the same order to Galvez.
“Let us allow Gordon show his stupidity. Pabalikin ko sila. Just tell them the plain truth,” he said, referring to Senator Richard Gordon who is leading the Senate investigation.
Duterte, during his previous address, said Cabinet officials should secure clearance from him first before attending the probe.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this pronouncement is legal since the Supreme Court, in 2006, ruled that Cabinet officials can be required to secure clearance from the President before attending congressional inquiry if it concerns matter of national security.
The Senate probe is now focused on the Department of Health’s transfer of P42 billion funds to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service for the procurement of face masks and face shields from different suppliers, including Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.
Pharmally is a small firm that only had a paid-up capital of around P625,000 but secured over P8 billion worth of government contracts for the procurement of personal protective equipment.
Senators are also seeking information on former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang’s possible links with Pharmally. –with Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News
Duterte allows Duque, Galvez to ‘finish stories’ in Senate probe into ‘overpriced’ PPEs
Source: Balita News
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