Duterte: Senate probe on pandemic purchases not after the truth

President Rodrigo Duterte renewed his attacks against the Senate blue ribbon committee amid its probe into the government's multibillion peso worth of COVID-19 pandemic purchases.

In a taped address aired Wednesday morning, Duterte also once again blasted Senator Richard Gordon, the committee's chairman, calling him "adversarial."

"You cannot tell the truth in the Senate. Gordon is adversarial. Tingin sa 'yo, kalaban ka [They see you as the enemy]," Duterte said.

He said Gordon is playing the roles of both the judge and the prosecutor.

"Anong totoo ang lalabas diyan [How can truth come out of that]?" Duterte asked.

Duterte then said that Senate inquiry is just a form of politicking. "Did you see a good law that was able to help the country? What they are doing is politicking," he said.

"We have done so much that the fight cannot be done based on merit," Duterte added.

Duque defended anew

At the same public address, Duterte once again defended Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, saying senators should let the Cabinet official run his department amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duterte made the call amid the ongoing Senate blue ribbon panel inquiry on the issues confronting the DOH.

"When you give fund on a department... do not run the department na parang opisina lang ng Senado. Do not dictate, si Duque ang nagpapatakbo nyan eh, hayaan niyo siya (You in Congress don't get to run the department; you don't get to dictate on Duque, Duque is the one in charge)," he said.

"Let him make the programs and make the call. Let him complete his work," he added.

The Chief Executive then said that Duque will be put to task if he will fail in his task.

"At the end of the day kung palpak ang trabaho niya (If he fails), then that is the time of reckoning," Duterte said. "Right now, I don't understand [the scrutiny]. I am telling you, there is no corruption. I instructed him to buy all things, not go into bidding because it will delay deliveries. I take responsibility." 

Warrants of arrests

During Tuesday's blue ribbon hearing, the panel issued warrants of arrest against Chinese businessman Michael Yang -- Duterte's former economic adviser -- for skipping the proceedings despite a subpoena.

Also ordered arrested were five officials of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, the small firm that bagged P8.68 billion worth of government contract for the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) last year.

Gordon has defended the blue ribbon investigation, which he said may even reach Duterte after names of personalities linked to the President were dragged into the issue, among them Yang and Christopher Lloyd Lao, the former Budget official behind the purchase of PPEs.

Lao hails from Davao City where Duterte served as mayor for many terms.

The Senate investigation stemmed from the Commission on Audit's report flagging the Department of Health for how it spent its COVID-19 funds.

During his taped address, Duterte vowed to "account every money" spent by the government for the public in his biweekly address.  —KBK/RSJ, GMA News