Senator Robinhood Padilla claimed on Sunday that the alleged anomalous transfer of billions of pesos in Covid-19 funds to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), which former President Rodrigo Duterte authorized, was lawful and necessary.
Padilla referenced Section 4 of the Bayanihan Law (Republic Act 11469) and the Government Procurement Policy Board Resolution issued on April 6, 2020, to support his statement.
He explained that these guidelines allowed for the bypassing of regular procurement procedures, particularly for personal protective equipment (PPEs), during the pandemic.
Duterte was granted emergency powers to manage the crisis effectively, Padilla said. He emphasized that during such unprecedented times, swift action was crucial to ensure public safety.
Last week, in a congressional hearing, former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed that he had transferred approximately P47.6 billion to the PS-DBM for the procurement of Covid supplies, following directives from Duterte.
Padilla urged for an end to the criticisms and mudslinging, highlighting that the urgency of the pandemic required significant spending, a challenge faced by many countries globally.
Governments around the world had to make substantial expenditures to combat the pandemic. Like us, many even had to borrow funds to manage the crisis, according to the actor-politician.
