The embattled Department of Health (DOH) once again finds itself in the hot seat for mishandling billions of funds amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During the Senate blue ribbon committee’s hearings, senators have raised red flags over allegedly unauthorized purchases, overpriced and overstocked face masks and shields, and slow distribution of the hazard pay promised to health workers on the frontlines against COVID-19.
Some lawmakers even suspect there is a “well-entrenched mafia” in the DOH that could be profiting from taxpayers’ money as the rest of the country grapples with the pandemic.
Senators have also been uncovering links of President Rodrigo Duterte and his longtime aide-turned-Senator Bong Go to the controversial Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, a new firm with a small capital and whose incorporators supposedly gave non-existent addresses. Duterte has since been directing his anger at senators, particularly at Senator Richard Gordon, for probing into these links.
In this Rappler Talk, Senate reporter Mara Cepeda speaks with Gordon, who chairs the committee tasked to investigate cases of corruption in government. What does he think of Duterte’s tirades against him? Will the President’s wrath stop senators from investigating him and his ally Go?
Watch the interview live on Rappler on Wednesday, September 8, at 10 am.
UPDATE: Senator Gordon initially agreed to a Rappler Talk with Senate reporter Mara Cepeda for August 26, a day before he was to preside over the blue ribbon committee’s 4th hearing on pandemic contracts, but he requested for the interview to be rescheduled. The interview was then moved to September 8, or a day after the panel’s 5th hearing, but Gordon once again begged off from the interview. – Rappler.com
Read the other stories from the September 10, 2021, Senate blue ribbon committee hearing:
- Senate summons Michael Yang’s business associate Rose Nono Lin
- WATCH: ‘Hindi normal,’ says tax expert Mon Abrea of Pharmally’s financial records
- Pharmally did not pay employee contributions – Villanueva
- Michael Yang was Pharmally’s guarantor to Chinese suppliers
- Senate panel to arrest Michael Yang, Pharmally exec for ‘lying’ in probe
- PS-DBM, Lao take cover under Duterte’s Bayanihan law
Read the other stories from the September 13, 2021, Senate blue ribbon committee hearing:
- Even with 2 arrest warrants, Michael Yang a no-show in Senate probe
- Senate panel summons Lin Weixiong, alleged drug personality linked to Michael Yang
- Senate wants Michael Yang on immigration watch list
- ‘Parang Grab lang’: Pharmally delivers masks a few hours after PS-DBM inquires
- WATCH: Former PS-DBM official says ‘fake inspection’ done for Chinese suppliers
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.