Guevarra to ensure NBI probe on couple allegedly behind overpriced medical equipment

Published May 26, 2020 01:17 PM By NICOLE-ANNE C. LAGRIMAS, GMA News

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Tuesday he will ensure the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will look into a couple that supposedly offered overpriced medical equipment to the Philippines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The President has given a direct order to the NBI last night. I will make sure that the order is implemented," Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said the NBI should investigate the matter.

“NBI should study the matter very very carefully kasi alam mo itong mga p— inang negosyanteng to, when there is really an issue of humanity and greed, ‘yung hoarding… it’s part of the business practices,” Duterte said early Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque has said the Co couple, who own Omnibus Biomedical Systems Inc., the exclusive distributor of Sansure in the Philippines, should be investigated for profiteering, hoarding, and "almost blackmailing" the government into buying their allegedly overpriced products.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he does not know the Co couple.

Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Lao reportedly explained that the Co couple lost in the bidding over a Hong Kong-based distributor of Sansure and were "complaining why are we not respecting their exclusive distributorship."

Lao said he told Sansure officials the government was unwilling to procure their products through Omnibus because of the overpriced initial offer.

“If we allow them to distribute now at a lower price, we’re giving them a reward for what they had done before. Now that we can go direct to Sansure, we suggest that we bypass them because we can get it cheaper,” he said.

Lao also said that the personal protective equipment PPE sets procured by the government meet local and international standards.

Duterte has defended Duque amid the alleged overpricing issue.

“I gave him (Duque) the instruction and I admit it in public now. Sabi ko sa kaniya, ‘Do everything you can. I do not care if it's expensive. Go, just go ahead and do something about it kasi ipitan tayo dito,'” the President said.

“Eto ngayon wala pang bakuna, so gusto ko lang malaman ng sambayanang Pilipino na I take full responsibility na utos ko na ‘Dalian mo, wala akong pakialam kung sa’n ka magkuha, magnakaw ka… whether you steal, borrow, or kill a person to get what needs to be done,’” he added.—AOL, GMA News
 

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