The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, July 5, denied the allegation that it was buying nearly expired medicines, saying that existing laws and policies prohibit this.
"We are not buying those kinds of supplies or medicines because we are following the existing policies and laws of the government,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online forum.
"We have protocols and there are specific agencies of government and we have different laws that would say that we cannot buy near-expiring (medicines),” she added.
Vergeire said based on existing policies, they can only procure medicines with a shelf life of 18 to 24 months.
"We also have policies issued that when we have a public health emergency we can be able to procure said medications, drugs or supply which has a shelf life of 12 months because our country really needs it," she said.
The Health official said they are still waiting for documents or queries from Senator Manny Pacquiao so they can properly address the allegation.
"We are waiting for the documents or queries from Sen. Pacquiao so we can properly address all of them and submit to his office again documents that may respond to these questions that he has," said Vergeire.