Palace: Duterte criticizing senators in defense of the innocent

Malacañang on Monday justified President Rodrigo Duterte’s vow to find fault with senators probing the government’s P8 billion purchase of medical supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corpcorporation by arguing that the President was standing up for the innocent.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the response when asked why the President was preoccupied with attacking Senators amid the rising number of daily new COVID-19 cases, which breached 26,000 twice during the last week alone.

“Walang hupa ang COVID response. Pataas nang pataas ang mga nababakunahan. Pero importante na panindigan ng Presidente ang mga tao na sa tingin niya ay walang pagkakasalang nagawa,” Roque said.

(There is no pause in the COVID-19 response. More and more people are getting vaccinated. But the President needs to stand up for the people he believes to be innocent.)

“Kung mayroong corruption, sampahan na lang ng kaso at hayaang ang Ombudsman ang mag-decision,” Roque added.

(If there is corruption, then charges should be filed and we should let the Ombudsman decide.)

Government figures presented by Roque on Monday show the daily number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered has been decreasing for the last three days.

From 540,793 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered last Friday, it went down to 356,363 doses on Saturday and 121,231 on Sunday.

Roque, however, insisted that it was the Senate inquiry that was hampering the government’s COVID-19 response since government officials would have to take time to answer queries.

“Ang mga dumadalo sa pagpupulong, kasama ang DPWH, vaccine czar, testing czar, 'yung oras na nauubos sa pag-ubos sa pagpupulong ay dapat ginugugol sa COVID,” Roque said.

(Those who attend the probe are in charge of Public Works, vaccine, testing...their hours are spent there in the probe instead of our COVID-19 response)

“Kaya natatanggal ang oras at attention na nakatutok sa COVID dahil sa pagpupulong na to,” Roque added.

(And this is why their attention is divided, due to these investigations)

As of Sunday, September 12, 38.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered, with 16.7 million Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The government aims to vaccinate 76.3 million or 70% of the country’s population by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity. — DVM, GMA News