Duterte allows Duque, Galvez to 'finish stories' in Senate probe into 'overpriced' PPEs

President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. to continue attending the Senate probe into the government's allegedly overpriced purchase of medical items.

"Kung tawagin niyo, paulit-ulit na naman, sabagay naumpisahan na kasi, Secretary Duque, I will allow him to go [and] complete his story," Duterte said in a taped address aired on Thursday.

Duterte also gave the same order to Galvez.

"Let us allow Gordon show his stupidity. Pabalikin ko sila. Just tell them the plain truth," he said, referring to Senator Richard Gordon who is leading the Senate investigation.

Duterte, during his previous address, said Cabinet officials should secure clearance from him first before attending the probe.

For his part, chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo took offense at Senator Gordon's comments that Duterte's attacks on the Commission on Audit and the Senate due to the adverse findings of these institutions on the government's pandemic budget spending is tantamount to inciting to sedition.

Panelo said it is Gordon's committee which is inciting sedition as it is preventing Cabinet officials from doing their jobs by having them attend lengthy hearings.

"Para sa akin siya ang nag-commmit ng inciting to sedition sapagkat siya ang pumipigil sa mga miyembro ng Gabinete na gawin ang kanilang trabaho," Panelo said in the same televised address.

(He is the one inciting to sedition because he prevents the Cabinet officials from doing their jobs.)

Duterte echoed Panelo and challenged Gordon to file a case against him.

"Ito lang sabihin ko.. you do your worst and I do mine. Kasuhan mo ako ng sedition at kasuhan rin kita. Ako mismo manghuli sa’yo [I'll say this, you file an inciting to sedition case against me and I will file the same against you. I will arrest you myself)," he said, addressing Gordon.

"Your authority is not absolute just because you have a power to summon. Who are you? You are nothing," he added.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this pronouncement is legal since the Supreme Court, in 2006, ruled that Cabinet officials can be required to secure clearance from the President before attending congressional inquiry if it concerns matter of national security.

The Senate probe is now focused on the Department of Health's transfer of P42 billion funds to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service for the procurement of face masks and face shields from different suppliers, including Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Pharmally is a small firm that only had a paid-up capital of around P625,000 but secured over P8 billion worth of government contracts for the procurement of personal protective equipment.

Senators are also seeking information on former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang’s possible links with Pharmally. --with Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News