Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 26) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said no investigation will be conducted on government-procured personal protective equipment.
Roque said in a Palace media briefing on Tuesday, that instead of investigating purchase of the PPE sets bought by the government, a probe will be conducted on extraction machines and coronavirus testing kits procured by the Department of Health.
“Malinaw na walang imbestigasyon na sa PPEs. Nagbigay din ng opinyon ang mga pribadong doktor na walang irregularity, walang overpriced sa PPE kasi set po ‘yan,” the spokesperson said.
[Translation: It is clear that there will be no investigation on PPEs. Private doctors have also given insight on this, saying there is no irregularity, and no overpriced PPE, because it was bought in sets.]
The government purchased PPE sets costing ₱1,100 apiece, as discussed during the weekly meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Monday.
Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao said that the procured PPE sets meet international standards, hence the price.
“There is a standard set by DOH and FDA, ano po ‘to international standards, and we’re following that,” Lao said in the meeting.
[Translation: There is a standard set by DOH and FDA. We are following the international standards.]
On the other hand, Roque said an investigation will be conducted on COVID-19 test kits and machines procured by the Health Department.
“Ang pinapa imbestigahan po ‘yong mga extraction machines at mga test kits,” he said. “yon po ang pina-imbestigahan ng ating presidente.”
[Translation: Extraction machines and test kits are being investigated by the president.]
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the Omnibus Corporation, which is the local distributor of the test kits purchased by the government for the DOH.
READ: Duterte tells NBI to probe local distributor of ‘overpriced’ test kits
The company allegedly jacked up the prices of their items.
