Duterte orders Galvez to tell Sotto details of COVID-19 vaccine deals

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. to disclose to Senate President Vicente Sotto III the details of the Philippine government's deals with COVID-19 vaccine makers for the sake of transparency.

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, Duterte's former special assistant and long time confidante, made the disclosure on Tuesday.

"Kausap ko po si Pangulo at inatasan niya si Secretary Galvez na ipaalam po ang kasunduan kay Senate President Sotto at nagkausap na rin po kami ni Senate President Sotto ukol dito para magkaroon po ng transparency," Go said in a video statement.

Asked if Galvez would do so in an executive session with Sotto, the Senate Committee on Health chairperson and close ally of the President said: "'Di ko alam anong paraan but mag-uusap yata sila ni SP."

"For transparency naman ang gusto ng pangulo... pero importante 'wag maantala ang vaccine implementation," he added.

Earlier in the day, Galvez said the Philippines would lose 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines if the prices would be disclosed at this point, citing the confidentiality disclosure agreements with manufacturers.

During previous Senate hearings, lawmakers pressed executive officials to reveal the prices of COVID-19 vaccines that the government would procure but those in charge of the procurement invoked the said non-disclosure agreement.

Senator Panfilo said he suspected an attempt to overprice the vaccine produced by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac even though the Palace previously said it was given to the country at a price fit for best friends.

This coming Friday, the Senate Committee of the Whole is expected to resume its inquiry on the government's COVID-19 immunization program.