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President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III while presiding over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on December 6, 2021. Toto Lozano, Presidential Photo/File
MANILA -- Former President Rodrigo Duterte authorized the transfer of P47.6 billion from the Department of Health to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management for the purchase of COVID-19 supplies during the emergency phase of the pandemic.
This was confirmed by former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday before the House Committee on Appropriations, which is reviewing the budget performance of the DOH and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.
"Ito ay in-authorize ni former Pres. Duterte, tama?" ACT Teachers Party List Representative France Castro asked the former DOH chief.
"Oho (Yes), in his public pronouncements. The transfer was done because of the public health emergency, which he declared sometime in March," Duque replied.
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"Sinasabi sa atin ni Sec. Duque na sa utos ni Duterte nagkaroon ng ganitong transfer na P47.6 billion, tama po ba?" Castro further clarified.
"Publicly, this was made by the President in our meetings in the weekly talk to the people," Duque responded.
The former Health Secretary defended the controversial fund transfer, saying it was above board and guided by existing laws and regulations. Duque and former PS-DBM officials are facing graft charges over alleged irregularities in the said transfer.
"Given the severity of the public health emergency, we at the IATF and the NTF, deemed it best to rely on the expertise of the PS-DBM and its network of suppliers for sourcing of the much-needed PPEs, along with essential goods and services for emergency response, given that the life of our healthcare workers depended on the procurement of PPEs. In doing so, we were guided by the authority of the PS-DBM, granted by the various laws and regulations," Duque explained.
"Bakit ibinigay ng buong-buo sa PS-DBM, wala kayong MOA (Memorandum of Agreement), wala kayong nilagay kung anong items ang kailangan ninyo, terms and conditions," Castro asked.
"May listahan na ang procurement supply chain management ng DOH," Duque replied.
"Itong decision na ito, based on the recommendation of the IATF, NTF… It was within my authority to effect the transfer because of the public health emergency, where there were not enough PPEs and other COVID-pandemic supplies… We wanted just to make sure that the lives of our people were protected and the risks were mitigated," he added.
"Documents will say that medical supplies, medical items and even equipment were not part of common use supply. Kasi hindi naman ballpen, lapis at papel ang pinag-uusapan dito. Who classified pandemic supplies as common use supplies?" Iloilo 1st District Representative and Former Health Secretary Janette Garin asked.
"Ang DOH ang humingi ng authority… It was the GPPB (Government Procurement Policy Board) that granted our request," Duque responded.
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