Senator Manny Pacquiao was probably absent or preoccupied with other things when Cabinet secretaries presented the government’s pandemic expenses before the Senate, according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
Roque, reacting to Pacquiao’s claim that there was corruption at the Department of Health, called the senator “clueless.”
“Pacquiao appeared to be clueless about the government’s transparency when it comes to handling finances earmarked for COVID-19 pandemic response,” Roque said.
“For me, perhaps, Senator Pacquiao was absent when Cabinet secretaries presented. Or if he is not absent, he may have been preoccupied with something else,” he said.
Pacqiuao earlier identified the DOH as the agency to be investigated due to alleged questionable purchase of COVID-19 rapid test kits, personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and face masks.
The senator made the disclosure after President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday challenged him to name corrupt workers in government following Pacquiao’s claim that corruption was getting worse under the current administration.
The Palace defended the health chief, saying Duque was able to present the DOH’s expenses and submit reports to the Senate.
“Secretary Duque already faced the Senate. He explained there and no cases were filed after Secretary Duque’s explanation,” Roque said.
Roque also questioned Pacquiao’s failure to ask Duque when the Senate held inquiries into the government’s COVID-19 response efforts.
For his part, Duque said he was saddened over Pacquiao’s “baseless accusations” after the senator called for an investigation on the DOH’s pandemic expenses.
But Duque vowed his office would submit itself to legislators’ inquiries as “part of the checks and balances” in government.
Duque said the DOH was ready to cooperate with any investigation even as he was “disheartened” by Pacquiao’s allegations.
“We were there [Senate hearing] for eight hours but there was not a single question from him and he wasn’t at that meeting either. If he has accusations of that gravity, you would think he would ask questions,” he said.
Duque also clarified the DOH did not purchase rapid test kits for COVID-19, contrary to Pacquiao’s claim, as the agency only buys the “gold standard” RT-PCR test kits.
Duque reiterated none of the funds for vaccine loans passed through the DOH as these went straight to the manufacturers.
In related developments, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, partymate of Pacquiao, said it would be a waste of time to argue whether corruption under the Duterte administration was “three times” worse than previous administrations as this would be a “pointless and endless” debate.
“Even the President has said that there is corruption in the government,” Pimentel said.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon sees a split in the ruling PDP-Laban following the ongoing rift between the party’s vice chairman Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi and Pacquiao, its acting president.
“The ruling party will be split,” said Drilon. “The party in power is being split into two.”
This development, he pointed out, would have serious implications on the 2022 elections
The Liberal Party vice president also said he expected Pacquiao to be removed as party president.
“I would not be surprised if Sen. Pacquiao wakes up one morning in July and he is no longer the president or the acting president of PDP-Laban,” said Drilon.
“It will not harm the opposition… If there’s a split in the administration—given all the resources, given the troll farms, given the resources that they have — certainly, a split will help the opposition,” he added.
