President Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered the investigation of the local distributor that allegedly took advantage of the government amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by offering test kits and other medical supplies for a higher price.
“Maybe we will be able to give a statement to the public latest about three days. NBI should study the matter very, very carefully kasi alam mo, itong mga… negosyanteng ito, whether it is really an issue of humanity and their greed.”
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) clarified that they did not proceed with the transaction.
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III has been accused of being involved but he denied knowing the entrepreneurs who were selling the supplies.
“They have offered to sell. They should pay for what they have done before kasi we — gipit na gipit tayo. (We are really hard up). Hindi tayo makalipad kasi mayroon tayong mga restrictions and all. (We could not take off with all the restrictions and all.) They are the only ones who are connected to Sansure and they are selling it at least not less than double the price,” DBM Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao explained when asked regarding the overpriced PPEs.
The process of buying PPEs by the government has been discussed and President Duterte was convinced that the price is fair given the PPEs high quality.
He also admitted ordering Duque to do everything in response to the health emergency from the start. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
