Sotto: No word yet from Galvez on vaccine deals

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has yet to reach out to Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday morning about the details of the COVID-19 vaccine deals that are being negotiated by the government.

"I have yet to hear from Secretary Galvez," Sotto said in response to the query of GMA News Online.

On Tuesday night, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go said President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Galvez to disclose details of the vaccine deals to Sotto for the sake of transparency.

The instruction came after several senators questioned the refusal of executive officials to reveal the prices of the COVID-19 vaccines under negotiation during the legislative inquiry.

Galvez invoked the confidentiality disclosure agreements with manufacturers and said the Philippines could lose 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines if the prices would be disclosed at this point.

"Wala pong korapsyon sa ating negosasyon. Ang presyo po ng ating binibiling bakuna ay sakop ng CDA, kaya hindi po natin iyon puwedeng ilabas sa publiko. Maaari pong mawala sa atin ang 148 million doses na nine-negotiate natin sa vaccine companies kapag lumabag po tayo sa kasunduan," he said.

The Senate Committee of the Whole will hold another hearing on Friday regarding the vaccine rollout. 

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said he has no information whether the meeting between Galvez and Sotto will take place before Friday’s hearing.

Hindi ko po alam. Ang alam ko mayroong mga pag-uusap na mangyayari na informal of course," Roque said in a CNN Philippines interview on Wednesday. — RSJ, GMA News