Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Monday he is not prepared to accuse anybody in particular on the price differences of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines.
(Joseph Vidal / Senate PRIB / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
’’Let’s just stick to the facts available. It is just logical to suspect corruption when there is an attempt for overpricing,’’ he replied to a query when asked by Senate reporters whether there is somebody who stands to benefit from the high cost of a Chinese vaccine.
At the center of controversy is Sinovac vaccine whose relatively low efficacy rate and high price tag have raised eyebrows among senators.
Last November, according to Lacson, the exact figure submitted by the Department of Health (DOH) of Sinovac vaccine was P3,629 for two doses or about P1,800 per dose.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Sunday that the price of Sinovac vaccine per dose is P650.
Based on testimonies in last week’s Senate Committee of the Whole, AstraZeneca has so far offered the lowest at about P500 per dose.