MALACAÑANG has urged the Senate to just file the necessary charges against concerned government officials being linked to allegedly anomalous biddings for pandemic supplies by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued the statement as the Senate prepared for its sixth hearing on the issue. Medialdea said the hearings have taken up so much time of officials directly involved in government’s Covid-19 pandemic response. This, at a time when the country is struggling to arrest a surge in infections, topping 20,000 daily in recent days.
He noted the said investigation will be shortened if only the senators will read the “voluminous records,” which they have submitted to prove there was no irregularity in the said transaction. He was referring to weekly reports on pandemic response measures that the Executive was mandated, under the Bayanihan laws, to send to Congress.
“It was a very tedious task, Mr. President. At the very least, they would have at least cared to read those reports so we could have avoided this — this hearing,” Medialdea said in the public address of President Duterte during the weekend.
He expressed concern that the said probe could “break the record” of the investigation of former Vice President Jejomar Binay in 2015, which lasted for 25 days.
“We’re wasting so much time, effort. In fighting a pandemic, Your Honor, we cannot waste a daily hearing on all these matters,” Medialdea said.
Senators are currently investigating the P42-billion cash transfer of the Department of Health (DOH) to the PS-DBM for the purchase of medical supplies, through Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.
Pharmally was able to secure the multi-billion contract with PS-DBM despite being newly incorporated and with a paid-up capital of only P625,000.
Last Sunday, Medialdea issued a statement, urging urged lawmakers to just sue the officials deemed guilty in the said transaction.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III also agreed with Medialdea that senators have yet to prove any illegal action during their five-day probe on the issue.
“So far, I’ve been following the investigations, and so far, there does not seem to be an accusation of any violation of the law, or there’s no accusation of overpricing, and there’s no accusation of under delivery or accusation of misdelivery or the product is not the right product,” Dominguez said.
“I would suggest that those who are questioning this transaction come out with a program — with a charge sheet to clear the air already,” he added.
Duterte alleged lawmakers are just using the said probe on the matter to get “exposure” for the upcoming 2022 National and Local elections.