President Duterte told Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to answer allegations that he was to blame for the delay in the country's acquisition of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Senator Panfilo Lacson, citing Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, revealed that it was Duque who “dropped the ball” on the Philippines' chance to acquire 10 million doses of Pfizer's vaccine, reportedly set for delivery as early as next month.
(TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Lacson quoted Romualdez as saying that Duque failed to prepare documentary requirement for the government to be able to buy the vaccines.
This document is called confidentiality disclosure agreement, said Lacson. Romualdez, Lacson said, had talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Locsin, on the Pfizer vaccine issue since last July.
In his Thursday presser, Roque said that he brought up the issue with Duterte during their meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday evening where Duque had the chance to explain himself to the President.
“Minabuti ni Presidente Duterte na advise-an si (President Duterte opted to advise) Secretary Duque answer the allegations of Secretary Locsin in the same manner that he defended himself in yesterday's meeting,” he said.
“Very lively, animated, and emotional po ang pagsagot ni Secretary Duque kagabi (Secretary Duque was very lively, animated, and emotional when he was explaining to the President). The President asked him answer it the same way he discussed the issues. So, antayin na lang po natin ang mga kasagutan ni Secretary Duque (let's just wait for Secretary Duque's response),” he added.
No Pfizer promise – Duque
But in an interview with CNN Philippines Thursday, Duque said there was no promise from Pfizer that it will provide the Philippines with 10 million doses of its COVID19 vaccine next month.
Duque said the US-based pharmaceutical company did not give a “definitive” number of vaccine supply for the Philippines in their previous discussions.
“Walang ganon (There was no promise). It was all indicative numbers, there was no definitive supply because…in the production of these vaccines as we are talking…meron daw problema sa kanilang raw materials (they are having problems with their raw materials)…there was nothing binding, nothing in our talks so this was all open-ended,” Duque said when asked if Pfizer ever promised to give the Philippines 10 million doses of its vaccine by January.
Despite the allegations against Duque, Roque said President Duterte did not seem to mind the issue.
“I think from the overall demeanor of the President, wala naman po siyang nakikita na major lapse dahil ang pinag-uusapan ay kontrata at hindi naman abogado po si Secretary Duque (he didn't see any major lapse because we're talking about a contract here and Secretary Duque is not a lawyer),” he said.
“Wala naman pong danyos na nangyari because patuloy pa rin po ang pagkuha natin ng Pfizer (No damage has been done because we still have ongoing negotiations with Pfizer),” he added.
Duque vs Locsin
Despite this, Roque said that it does not matter if Duque, Romualdez, and Locsin have conflicting opinions regarding the matter because it is only Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. who has the authority to handle the vaccine acquisition.
“Mag-away na ang lahat kung gusto nila (Everyone can fight) but the President has made it clear: There's only one person in charge of getting vaccine, it's Secretary Galvez,” he said.
“These conflicting opinions between Secretary Locsin and Secretary Duque, in the end, do not really matter because it's Secretary Galvez who has full authority and he will be fully accountable to the President, no one else,” he added.
Roque likewise expressed confidence that Galvez will not botch the country's vaccine deal with pharmaceutical companies.
“Given the track record of Secretary Galvez, I think that's a far shot. We will succeed because of the proven competence of Secretary Galvez,” he said.
According to Roque, the country can still have the Pfizer vaccine between the second to the third quarter of next year because talks with Pfizer are in the advanced stage.
However, he could not discuss other details because of a nondisclosure agreement (NDA).
“ NDA applies to the volume, applies to the cost, and applies to the delivery date. Please understand I can't respond even if I knew,” he said.
“But, on purpose, dahil si Secretary Galvez naman ang incharge diyan, hindi ko na po 'yan pinanghihimasukan (I will not get into that since Secretary Galvez is the one in-charge),” he added. (With reports from Mario B. Casayuran and Noreen Jazul)