Senate body vows to complete probe on COVID-19 deals

MANILA, Philippines — Regardless of criticisms from President Duterte, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee is committed to finish its investigation into alleged anomalous procurements of billions of pesos worth of COVID-19 supplies and filing charges against those responsible.

“We will finish it (inquiry). That’s the commitment of our committee chairman (Sen. Richard Gordon),” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said on “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News Friday night.

Drilon gave this assurance as the President’s tirades against the probe on the corruption scandal rocking his administration reached the point at which he warned that he would not allow his Cabinet members to attend the Senate hearings because they would “lead to nothing.”

“It is made more difficult because of the demands on our time, as a result of the (proposed 2022 national) budget and the forthcoming elections,” Drilon said, but remained steadfast, adding: “With our best efforts, I’m confident we can finish it.”

The committee, which is investigating the questionable transfer and the subsequent disbursement of some P42 billion from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) last year, is scheduled to hold its next hearing on Tuesda.

Last week, Drilon said what happened, particularly the awarding of billions of pesos worth of contracts to apparently favored suppliers identified with administration officials, could be a case of “premeditated plunder.”

Sen. Bong Go, who could be facing an ethics investigation by his peers in connection with the apparently irregular procurement, said the inquiry was not only “premature” and “in aid of the election” of some of his colleagues in 2022, but also hampering the delivery of urgent services.

He said many government officials, particularly those in the frontline agencies, are now “afraid” of signing contracts for fear of being investigated and pilloried in public for simply performing their duties in acting swiftly to address the pandemic, like what is happening now due to the Senate investigation.

“I believe it’s about timing. Like what I said about the COA (Commission on Audit), that comes out (with a report) and you want them (officials) to answer while we’re in the middle of the implementation (of pandemic response). So how can the DOH move? Who will be affected? The ordinary citizen, the poor Filipino,” Go told dwIZ radio in Filipino.

“It can be helped that now that the elections are approaching…maybe let’s just wait for Oct. 8, some members of the Senate will run, then we’ll see the timing,” he said.

He said the COA report was not yet final and the DOH still has 60 days to “rectify” the negative observations.

Go said he will still attend the hearings even if he believes enemies of the President are just trying to distract him from addressing the pandemic by raising allegations against him and his appointees.

Duterte-Sotto dialogue

Meanwhile, Go offered to act as mediator between the Senate and the President to resolve their rift, saying all branches of government must not waste their time and should work together in confronting the pandemic.

Earlier, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he was seeking a meeting with Duterte to resolve any differences between the Executive and Legislative branches, given the numerous problems the country is facing. Go said Duterte is open to such a dialogue.

Go also said he was ready to face any probe by the Senate ethics committee, chaired by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, even as he maintained he has not done anything “unethical.”

He said he is merely being associated with key players in the alleged anomalous procurement but nothing more.

“I was even the one who kept saying to charge and jail whoever is responsible (for corruption). It doesn’t matter if you helped the President in the campaign,” he said.

Go also maintained that he continues to respect Gordon, but that the latter should inhibit himself from investigating the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as the state-run firm has dealings with the Philippine Red Cross, which Gordon heads.