“Easily, I am reminded of an old story of how c0rruption is committed in three Southeast Asian countries – under the table; on the table; including the table… True to their tactic, ‘If you cannot convince them, confuse them,’ our vaccine program officials brought more confusion and bewilderment in their rush to procure Sinovac. Unluckily for them, we do not get confused easily… That being said, I am not prepared to accu*se anyone in particular of c0rruption. Rather, it defies logic to susp3ct at least an attempt to overprice the vaccine. Again, when there is an attempt at overpricing, isn’t it also logical to think somebody will profit from this with so much cash?” said Lacson.
“So about time na you just — a little bit — i-ano ninyo ‘yang utak sa c0rruption-c0rruption. I don’t know why are you so occupied sa mga c0rruption. Now, maghanap kayo hindi dito, baka sa inyo. Baka sa departamento ninyo, hindi dito sa akin,” according to the Chief Executive.
The President also explained how the vaccine purchase process works. “So ang gawain natin until the last minute. Ito sabihin ulit ni (Vaccine Czar) General Galvez sa inyo ‘yan. Hindi iyan mabayaran hanggang hindi dumaan kay (Finance Secretary) Dominguez pati sa akin. Naintindihan ninyo? Walang pakialam diyan… All that Galvez can do is just to come to an agreement as representative or agent of the Republic of the Philippines. He has no say sa bayaran kung saan because it is purely papel. Kunin ng manufacturer ‘yan doon sa mga bangko kasi doon tayo naghiram at diretso ang bayad galing bangko to the manufacturer. Hindi na tayo makialam diyan. And the pricing and the paper will not be final until it is reviewed by the Secretary of Finance kasi siya ‘yung magbayad pati ako. Kung maintindihan ninyo,” said the president.
Read the reaction from the netizens on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's remark to Senator Lacson's statement:
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