'Good idea' to invite Avisado to Senate probe into overpriced face masks, shields —Hontiveros

It is a “good idea” to also invite resigned Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado in the Senate blue ribbon committee’s hearing to shed light on the issues hounding the procurement of overpriced face masks and face shields in 2020, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Wednesday.

The lawmaker made this remark in an ANC interview as former Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao, the former head of the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS), is expected to attend the Senate probe on Wednesday.

“Perhaps it would be a good idea also to invite former Secretary Avisado to the hearing. He resigned just recently before the budget debates go into you know, high gear,” she said.

“The resignation of the former Secretary Avisado, I think, is more lamented, lamentable at kung imbitahin siya ng aming  (if he will be invited by) Senate blue ribbon committee chair Dick [Gordon], I believe that he will appear but really, the man on the hot seat is the former head of that procurement service DBM,” the senator added.

Hontiveros gave more emphasis on Lao, whom she said, has resigned “mysteriously” and without public explanation.

“In fact, he was reportedly incomunicado for these past couple of months. Kaya mabuti na lang kung talagang mag-aappear siya mamaya nang kaunti sa aming pagdinig (It is good if he will really appear before the hearing later today),” she said.

Malacañang earlier announced that President Rodrigo Duterte had accepted Avisado’s resignation.

Avisado, a former Davao City administrator who joined the Cabinet in August 2019, said he resigned as Budget chief due to health reasons.

Meanwhile, Lao was summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee last Monday after his name was mentioned in the issue of overpriced face shields and face masks that were earlier flagged by the Commission on Audit.

It was during Lao’s term when the Procurement Service of the DBM (PS-DBM) procured bulks of face masks bought at a price of P27.22 each and face shields at P120 each.

Lao, in a public briefing last week, said he is willing to face the Senate probe into the matter. 

He also denied that there was irregularity in the procurement. —KG, GMA News