Gordon kids Roque: Big mouth does not make a big man

Senator Richard Gordon on Wednesday teased presidential spokesperson Harry Roque about the latter's statements regarding the debt issue between PhilHealth and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

"I will just tell him this, in jest, big mouth doesn't make a big man," Gordon, chair of the humanitarian organization that conducts massive COVID-19 tests, said in an interview on ANC.

"He's the spokesman of the President. The President told him [to] pay it. What is he doing? Interpreting. He's always been involving himself in PhilHealth affairs. I don't want to go into that because ayokong magkagalit kami," he added.

PhilHealth's debt to the PRC reached P1 billion over the unpaid COVID-19 tests that were chargeable to the state health insurer. The organization temporarily suspended accommodating PhilHealth-covered COVID-19 tests since October 14 because of the debt issue.

Prior to the recent resumption of PRC's testing for PhilHealth, Roque said at least eight private laboratories are being eyed by the Department of Health to handle the COVID-19 tests for returning Filipinos.

Roque, later on, clarified that his statement regarding the search for other private laboratories that could process the COVID-19 tests was not a threat to the PRC.

PhilHealth was able to settle half of the amount on Tuesday afternoon but the PRC was already forced to postpone its chartered flight to China for the procurement of COVID-19 test kits due to the delayed payment.

Nonetheless, Gordon said the PRC will already resume processing PhilHealth-covered COVID-19 tests.—AOL, GMA News