Duque: Locsin allegation ‘pure lies’

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Health chief fumes over ‘dropped the ball’ charge

“PURE lies.”

This was how Health Secretary Francisco Duque III described the statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. that the Philippine government has again “dropped the ball” on the offer to secure 50 million syringes from the United States.

In a radio interview, Duque said there is no truth that the government had fumbled and missed out on a chance to acquire 50 million syringes that could be used in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination program.

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“Those are not true. They are pure lies,” Duque said in response to Locsin’s tweet over the weekend that the government has once again dropped the ball on the potential acquisition of additional syringes, referring to an offer for the Philippines to obtain 50 million syringes from the United States.

Locsin said the Philippines had offered a “hallucinatory” price of 4.7 cents a syringe. “No one on the planet makes special Pfizer low dead volume syringe that cheap. Seven cents is the absolute lowest,” the DFA chief said.

Duque said “the supposed company he (Locsin) is referring to said our budget is low for the 0.5ml auto-disable (AD) syringes.”

“His claims make no sense… It was the company that said our budget is low that is why they didn’t join the bidding. Now, it was us that dropped the ball?” he added.

The health chief said the said company wanted to bag the project for a higher amount, which the DOH did not accept because it will violate the Government Procurement law.

“What Locsin wants is for us to follow the wishes of the supplier in terms of the price. That is unacceptable. We are not stupid to do that,” said Duque.

“We will be committing graft for that. We will be violating Republic Act 9184. That isn’t right,” he added.

Duque said he was dismayed that Locsin made his allegations through social media when he could have directly communicated with him.

“He didn’t even call me to ask or get clarifications. He didn’t even have the courtesy to call me and ask me. Since we belong to the same administration, I would expect him to call me and ask me first,” he said.

“I’m disappointed because he just fired off on Twitter. Our communication lines are open.

Why didn’t he call me first? We are in the same administration. It’s easy to seek clarification,” added Duque.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said government officials who continue to be remiss in doing their duties for the country’s pandemic response should be held accountable.

“If our health officials and those in charge of solving this pandemic so our country can go back to normalcy keep ‘dropping the ball’ in spite of selfless efforts by their fellow officials like SFA (Secretary of Foreign Affairs) Locsin, it is time to exact accountability swiftly and surely,” Lacson said in a message to the media.

NO SHORTAGE

The National Task Force against coronavirus disease (NTF COVID-19) assured the public there is enough supply of syringes for use during phase two of the Bayanihan, Bakunahan this week and until the end of the year.

“We are not lacking in vaccine, and we have sufficient ancillary supply, including the syringes for vaccination this week and until the end of the year,” NTF deputy implementer Vince Dizon said during the Bayanihan, Bakunahan ceremonies held in Bacoor in Cavite.

NTF chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said the country had already secured a contract for 44 million syringes, but the delivery has been delayed by the global shortage.

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Galvez said syringes used for Pfizer vaccines are limited, which is why the government has been urging the public to accept whatever vaccine brand is available instead of waiting for Pfizer for their primary or booster shots.

He said priority for the Pfizer brand are senior citizens, the immunocompromised and minors. — With Raymond Africa and Jocelyn Montemayor

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