MANILA – Some senators are trying to prolong the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings into the allegedly anomalous coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) emergency supply deals in an attempt to advance their political agenda, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said a Senate inquiry is no longer necessary, since the Commission on Audit (COA) has told its Blue Ribbon Committee that there were no irregularities in the procurement of Covid-19 medical supplies at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
“So, sa tingin ko po, kung sinabi na ng COA na walang overpricing, eh hindi ko po alam kung bakit pa nagpapatuloy. Kung hindi, politika na lang talaga ang dahilan (So, I think if the COA already said there is no overpricing, I don’t know why [the Senate hearing] continues. Perhaps, the reason is politics),” Roque said in an online press briefing.
Roque made the remarks in response to Vice President Maria Leonor’s recent statement that personalities involved in the Senate probe should avoid exchanging personal insults.
Robredo’s call came amid the apparent word war between President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Richard Gordon who chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Duterte has repeatedly questioned Gordon and other senators for taking advantage of the lengthy Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings ahead of the 2022 national elections by politicizing the government’s management of Covid-19 pandemic response funds.
Responding to Robredo’s call, Roque agreed that personal attacks must be avoided.
Roque, however, lamented that some senators want to make it appear that there are irregularities in the purchase of Covid-19 emergency supplies.
“Agree po tayo pero lumalabas po na parang ‘yung ilang mga senador, hindi papayag hanggang hindi lumabas na diumano ay may korapsyon (We agree [that personal insults must be avoided], but some senators seem to be bent on doing their best to make it appear that there is corruption [committed by the Duterte government]),” he said.
COA has repeatedly told lawmakers, including members of the House of Representatives that also conduct separate hearings, that its 2020 audit report did not mention any overpricing in the procurement of personal protective equipment and other Covid-19 medical supplies.
Duterte, venting frustrations over the series of hearings by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, has turned the tables on Gordon, telling the senator to open the financial records of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) for thorough scrutiny by COA.
Duterte has also warned that he might cut the government’s ties with PRC, chaired by Gordon, if the humanitarian organization does not undergo a state audit.
Duterte, Roque said, merely wants to correct PRC's lack of accountability under Gordon’s leadership.
“Ang hinihingi po ng Presidente, pananagutan, accountability, kaya po pinapa-audit sa COA (There President is only asking for accountability, that’s why he wants a COA audit). Alam niyo po, ang ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) at saka mga Red Cross society (You know, ICRC and Red Cross societies), they are bigger than any personality,” Roque said.
He also said the problem with PRC is it is being manned by Gordon who is a politician.
“Iyan lang nga po ang epekto kapag ang namumuno ay nasa larangan din ng politika. Kaya nga po siguro dapat pagisipan na natin na ang dapat mamuno ng isang humanitarian organization, dapat po ay wala sa larangan ng politika (That’s what happened if it’s being managed by someone who’s involved in politics. That’s why we have to considers that a humanitarian organization should not be manned by a politician),” he said. (PNA)
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