Palace warns lawmakers on legislation vs. confidentiality disclosure agreements

Banning the government from entering into a confidentiality disclosure agreement (CDA) with pharmaceutical companies might push these firms not to sell their products to the Philippines, Malacañang warned lawmakers on Tuesday.

Some senators have criticized the refusal of vaccine rollout officials to disclose the prices of the vaccines as the government argued this might jeopardize the country’s procurement plans. Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., however, said that all prices will be available to the public in due time.

Several lawmakers have also criticized the government’s supposed bias for the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac despite claims it was less effective and more expensive.

“Hindi lang po maisip talaga ng Palasyo kung ano iyong gagawin nilang batas para rito ano. Kung tutol po sila sa CDA baka gumawa sila ng batas na ipinagbabawal ang CDA, kapag nangyari po iyon wala nang magbebenta sa atin ng gamot sa Pilipinas,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said at a press briefing.

Roque then asked the Senate to specify possible measures that may be passed as a result of its inquiry into the government’s mass vaccination program against COVID-19.

“Nakikipag-cooperate po ang Executive at ang sabi nga ng Presidente ay patuloy pa ring mag-a-attend ang ating mga Kalihim doon sa mga pagdinig ng Senado, sagutin ang kanilang mga tanong, pero kung binabastos sila, mag-walkout,” he said.

“So, iyon lang po ang ating tatanungin sa [mga]senador, matapos itong napakahabang mga hearing na ito, anong batas po ang isasampa nila?”

Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan, who initiated the call for a legislative investigation, said in a resolution that the objective of the inquiry was “to enable Congress to determine and formulate the necessary measures and policies to support the national COVID-19 vaccination program.”

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday backed Galvez on the non-disclosure of the prices of the COVID-19 vaccines that the Philippines will purchase from foreign suppliers.

In his weekly briefing with COVID-19 response officials, Duterte said Galvez should stick to his “game plan” for the rollout of coronavirus vaccines despite doubts lawmakers raised at congressional investigations.

Duterte said it was an “industry practice” to keep mum on prices. —LDF, GMA News