Palace confident SC will junk petition on free COVID-19 mass testing

Malacañang on Friday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court (SC) will dismiss the petition seeking to compel the government to conduct free mass testing for COVID-19.

In a televised briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the government has a program on expanded testing as the Philippines ramped up its testing capacity.

“Ibabasura po iyan ng Korte Suprema, kasi sa mula’t-mula po mayroon po talaga tayong programa na targeted testing,” he said.

“Ginagawa na po iyan at talaga namang hinintay lang natin na magkaroon ng mas maraming labs, hinintay lang natin na makabili ang DBM [Department of Budget and Management] ng 10 million testing kits at tingin ko po, ito ay in addition pa doon sa mga rapid testing kits na binibili natin.”

Assisted by the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers (NUPL), the petitioners said the “omission of proactive and efficient mass testing” amid the pandemic violated the right to health.

The petitioners also want the government compelled to release "accurate, timely, and complete information" on the Philippines' COVID-19 situation.

The petitioners, who include former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, represent senior citizens, medical doctors, scientists, the LGBTQIA community, migrant workers, students, teachers, jeepney drivers, frontline workers, professionals and homemakers, the NUPL said.

Early this week, the SC junked the petition questioning the constitutionality of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which gave President Rodrigo Duterte special powers to address the COVID-19 crisis. --KBK, GMA News