DOST Sec. Dela Peña admits confusion in identifying Sinopharm’s rep

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña on Monday admitted that there was confusion as to who was the representative of Sinopharm in the Philippines when the two parties were discussing the conduct of clinical trials for the Chinese vaccine here.

During a Senate hearing, Senator Panfilo Lacson quizzed Dela Peña on why the clinical trials for the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines did not push through despite the offer from the Chinese firm.

According to the Cabinet official, there was an initial discussion on the conduct of the clinical trials, but the Philippines insisted that the Chinese company would fund it.

It was earlier reported that Sinopharm reached out to the DOST for collaboration in the development of its vaccine through two options: conducting the clinical trials here at the expense of the Philippines, or the Philippines recognizing the approval/authorization from their country.

"Ang problema lang nung sinabi naming yung clinical trials na kanilang gagawin ay sila ang gagastos ay hindi na sila tumugon," Dela Peña said.

Lacson, however, did not agree that the Philippines should not spend for the conduct of the clinical trials.

"Hindi naman pwedeng sila lahat ang gagastos. Siyempre kung may collaboration at dito gagawin mismo, parang magpa-partnership sila, laboratory nila dito, may gastos din tayo. Bakit naman tayo hindi pumayag?" he asked.

In response, Dela Peña said: "Kasi po yun ang usapan na may local collaborating company. In the case of Sinopharm, nagka-doble doble yung mga kausap namin."

"When we asked the Chinese side, we clarified kung sino ba talaga sa kanila ang nagre-represent sa inyo. Hindi na nilinaw," he added.

Lacson brought up anew the supposed letter from Mr. Liu Jingzhen, chairman of the Sinopharm group, who allegedly wrote to Secretary Francisco Duque III as early as May 2020 for the conduct of the clinical trials in the Philippines but the latter supposedly failed to act upon immediately.

"The one who wrote the secretary a letter, yung mismong chairman ng kumpanya na nagmamay-ari ng Sinopharm, Mr. Liu Jingzhen. Kailangan ba tayong ma-confuse sino ang kausap?" Lacson said.

Dela Peña said they also asked Sinopharm itself who is their actual representative in the Philippines. They even asked the Philippine embassy in China for help.

"Lumapit na kami sa embassy natin sa China to help us directly talk to the Sinopharm in China kasi nalilito na kami sa mga sulat na iba-iba ang nakapirma. Hindi naman namin nalinawan kung sino talaga ang representative nila dito," he said.

Duque denied that he did not act on the supposed request of Sinopharm to conduct clinical trials for its vaccine in the country, saying he was not aware of any letter to that effect. — BM, GMA News