‘PRC-Subic COVID-19 test results valid’

MANILA, Philippines — Results of COVID tests conducted at the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)’s molecular laboratory in Subic are valid and reliable, according to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), in response to an investigation by the House of Representatives into the supposed complaint of false positives.

“We found no evidence of contamination for the forty-eight cases tested by the PRC Subic laboratory and the results were found to be valid and reliable,” the RITM said in a statement dated Oct. 8.

The PRC, which earlier stood by the integrity of the positive results issued by its molecular laboratory in Subic, welcomed the development, saying the PRC was a victim of unsubstantiated allegations.

“The PRC has found itself a victim of this due to damning evidence found against parties involved in the awarding of the more than P8.7-billion contracts for overpriced medical supplies to an undercapitalized company,” the PRC said in a statement yesterday.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman and chief executive officer of the PRC, is leading the investigation of the Senate Blue Ribon committee on the allegedly anomalous contract for medical supplies.

The PRC thanked the RITM for its unbiased investigation into the matter.