Gordon to Duterte: No amount of tantrums, threat can stop Senate probe

Senator Richard Gordon on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte “tantrums and threats” will not stop the Senate investigation into the alleged overpriced procurement of medical supplies for the government’s COVID-19 response.

“No amount of tantrums and threats will ever distract us from pursuing our investigation on who profited from the taxpayers’ money meant to provide ayuda for our people, buy our vaccines, build more hospitals, save our jobs, and bail us out of recession,” Gordon, who is leading the Senate inquiry, said in a statement.

“Instead of defending and protecting your men who brandish their luxurious lifestyle, focus on resolving the impact of the pandemic and corruption to our people,” he added.

Gordon, who has been at the receiving end of Duterte's tirades recently, emphasized that he will not allow the President to intimidate any of the senators.

He said any threat to harm any of the lawmakers, in performance of their duties, is an attack to the Senate as an institution, which, he said, is mandated to check the executive department’s excesses and abuses.

“Unlike you, we owe our loyalty to the Filipino people who trust us,” Gordon said as he reiterated that the fight is not between him and the president.

He also said he will not stoop down to Duterte's level.

“Why are you so fixated on me?  If you are bothered with your waning popularity, you should look around and maybe, you might find the answers,” Gordon said.

“Even as you go low, I will never stoop down to your level. It is when you intimidate us and show your own weakness that I am more emboldened to expose your lies and to bring back the money that rightfully belongs to the Filipino people.”

The senator said anew that Duterte’s “incessant and vicious attacks” against him can be interpreted as fear that the Senate probe will “reach the doors” of his official residence once the committee report is released.

In his latest public address, Duterte advised his Cabinet members not to allow any senator to “berate” them.

“If they cite you for contempt, I will jail the senators,” Duterte said.

The President also  stood firm on his order for officials in the Executive department to ignore the Senate blue ribbon committee's inquiry.

Senators have been scrutinizing the purchases of COVID-19 supplies made by the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service last year, during which Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation bagged more than P8 billion in government contracts despite having a paid-up capital of only P625,000.

During the course of the investigation, the lawmakers discovered that Pharmally officials appeared to have acquired luxury vehicles after they bagged contracts from the government.

It was also discovered that Michael Yang, Duterte’s longtime friend and former economic adviser, had  “guaranteed” for Pharmally when the government was sourcing PPE supplies from China.

Yang had denied this, saying he had nothing to do with contracts that Pharmally has entered into with the government. He, however, admitted that he introduced them to other Chinese businessmen who supply medical goods. --KBK, GMA News