Health Secretary Francisco Duque III gives an update to President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañan Palace on January 24, 2022. Toto Lozano, Presidential Photo/File

MANILA — Former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday explained his statement during Monday's House hearing, where he said that former President Rodrigo Duterte authorized the transfer of P47.6 billion worth of COVID-19 funds to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).

• Duque: Fund transfer from DOH to PS-DBM during pandemic authorized by Duterte

According to Duque, his remark "has regrettably been taken out of context."

Duque insisted that the transfer of funds for the procurement of common-use supplies and equipment (CSEs) such as face masks, face shields, and PPEs was above-board given the urgency and novelty of the situation.

"What has been lost in the political noise is the fact that these CSEs were procured sometime in April 2020, during the very beginning of the pandemic... Their procurement was not only necessary, but was of extreme urgency," Duque said.

The Ombudsman in May said that the medical supplies were not CSEs, a term that usually refers to office supplies. 

• Ombudsman: Duque, Lao liable for Pharmally mess

"Indeed, the directive of President Duterte was consistent with and pursuant to the national policy embodied in the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act 1 and 2," he added.

Duque also said that Duterte's authorization for the transfer was not new as it was well-documented in his public pronouncements. 

"President Duterte has been consistent and open in directing his administration, as a whole, to act swiftly and decisively and do all that it can to fight the pandemic... His directives were openly made and repeated during our numerous cabinet meetings, his regular televised public address, and in various interviews reported by news outlets," Duque explained. 

The purchase of the COVID-19 supplies was allegedly marred by corruption, with Pharmally accused of being a preferred contractor. 

Former Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier said that Duque's statement during the hearing was a "change of tune".

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Duterte should explain why he ordered the transfer of funds.

Government officials, including Duterte, had defended the transaction, saying there was a need to fast-track procurement because of the COVID-19 emergency and that the controversial firm had delivered on the contracts.

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