PRRD dares critics claiming fraud in buying vax to face him

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night challenged critics claiming of corruption in the government’s Covid-19 vaccine procurement to face him.

Duterte said there were some individuals who accused his administration of anomalies in vaccine procurement since they could not get any kickbacks from vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr.

“Meron iba diyan because wala silang nakuha kay Galvez, wala naman talaga, walang pera…meron nagsasabing may corruption o (There are some people, because they were not able to get anything from Galvez because there’s really nothing, they’re saying there’s corruption or) they were able to obstruct or prevent corruption because of their timely…mag-usap nga tayo, tayo lang (let’s talk, just us),” he said.

He did not mention names but dared them to identify themselves and face him.

“Kung sinong nagsabi niyan (Whoever said that), please rise and be brave enough to say that you’re the one. I’d like to talk to you, tayo lang dalawa, miski saan mo gusto (just us, wherever you want),” he added.

Duterte said those critics would not get anything from Galvez since he is not in charge of shelling out money.

“Walang hawak na pera diyan, actually…kasi walang nakuha (He’s not in charge of dealing with money…because they didn’t get anything), they’re still trying to pick the brains of Galvez, looking for something which is not there at all,” he said.

He urged the public not to believe statements coming from the opposition, adding that they are only “muddling” in government’s vaccine procurement.

“I take exception to itong (this) statement that they were able to prevent corruption or an overprice because of their vigilance. No. Far from it actually. You’re just muddling,” he said.

Duterte, meanwhile, assured anew that vaccine supply agreements would be finalized only after he and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez have reviewed and approved the proposal.

“Matagal pa ‘yan. Dadaan pa ‘yan kay Dominguez (That will still take long. It has to go through Dominguez) and you know how Dominguez is…that is not the end of everything. The decision of Galvez is not the sum total of it all. It has to be reviewed. And finally sa akin rin (through me), I will take a look and ask around if it is really a reasonable pricing for us,” he added.

The Philippines aims to secure 148 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from several companies to inoculate an initial 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year, with the first doses of China’s Sinovac expected to arrive by February.

Last month, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan raised the possibility of corruption in vaccine procurement after the government failed to secure the delivery of 10 million vaccines from US drug maker Pfizer as early as January.

Pangilinan, who spearheaded the move to convene the Senate Committee of the Whole hearing on the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program, said the government should be transparent in its plans for vaccine procurement to ensure that not a single peso is wasted or corrupted.

To date, the government has signed term sheet agreements with US drug maker Novovax to supply the Philippines with 30 million doses of vaccine as well as Moderna (20 million doses) and AstraZeneca (17 million doses).

However, the government has yet to sign a term sheet agreement with Pfizer.