THE Philippine distributor of Sansure Biotech Inc. on Sunday denied allegations it sold overpriced testing kits for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other medical equipment to the Department of Health.
In a statement, Omnibus Bio-Medical Systems Inc. said the company has been in business for more than 20 years and is known as a reliable and credible medical supplier.
“There is no truth to the reports that the company directly sold Sansure polymerase chain reaction machines and test kits to the Department of Budget and Management, the Central Office Bids and Awards Committee of the DOH and PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.). Our company adheres to a business practice aimed at providing the best value in life science equipment. We will not tarnish that reputation especially during the COVID-19 crisis,” it said.
“We value our customers and will never engage in profiteering, hoarding or blackmailing,” it added.
It said “general statements” on price comparisons were made, which “failed to take note of the differences in packaging inclusion that it offered to clients.”
It will be recalled that President Duterte directed the NBI to conduct a probe on the issue after allegations surfaced that a couple allegedly sold overpriced testing equipment to the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has said the NBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Co couple should be investigated for allegedly engaging in profiteering and almost blackmailing the government to purchase overpriced medical items.
Omnibus said when it facilitated the sale of the “Sansure NATCH CS Fully Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction System machine for Go Negosyo’s Project ARK, the price was P1.75 million.”
“We facilitated the purchase of Go Negosyo at the price of $35,000 or (roughly around P1.75 million at the time of purchase). This was done via a free on board or FOB arrangement. Go Negosyo was the one who paid the additional costs for air transport, destination charges, storage, and warehousing,” it said.
It added that when budget department called for a quotation cost for “Thermo Fisher,” it offered a similar machine for P4.3 million as a ready-to-use package.
“This package includes 25,000 NATHS consumables used to carry out the RNA extractions. It also included costs in air transportation, destination charges, storage warehousing, local delivery fees, warranties as well as peripheral accessories,” it said.
The company said it offered another package to the budget department worth P4 million on May 6 and that the lower price was due to the fact that the machines and NATCH consumables were priced separately.
Furthermore, it explained that it was operating on a difficult delivery scenario and rushing to fulfill a very short delivery period.
“With these challenges, the costs added up to P4.3 million for the NATCH machine with 25, 000 consumables and P4 million for the NATCH alone. Bottom line, Omnibus stands by its statements that they offered a fair price for both packages mentioned,” it added.
