Price matters.
Senator Panfilo M. Lacson on Thursday September 2 stressed this as senators lock horns with Malacanang on the alleged overpricing of P42 billion-worth of COVID-19 medical supplies.
‘’This applies to all items procured by the government, using the money of Filipino taxpayers, regardless of administration,’’ Lacson said.
The Senate Blue Ribbon chaired by Senator Richard J. Gordon resumes next week its probe into the overpricing mess at the Procurement Service Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).
‘’But price matters even more at this time, especially if there is gross overpricing of medical supplies involving billions of pesos in public funds while millions of Filipinos are losing their jobs due to the pandemic,’’ he pointed out.
‘’If we cannot see what is wrong with that - or worse, try to divert public attention from the issue - then certainly we are a ruined nation,’’ he added.
Resigned DBM Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, former PS-DBM head, is at the vortex of the Senate-Malacanang feud over the alleged overpricing of COVID-19 medical supplies to supposed ‘’favored bidders.’’
Senators had asked why did the Department of Health (DOH) remitted its P42 billion COVID-19 response funds to the PS-DBM to buy the supplies.
They pointed out that the DOH has a corps of experts on biddings.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said there was plunder in the disbursement of the P42 billion.
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