Dismissing Senator Manny Pacquiao’s statement on the government’s “mismanaged” pandemic response, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Tuesday, September 14, said this was nothing but politicking.
Roque, who is in New York for his nomination to be a member of the International Law Commission (ILC), said during a virtual press that he is not surprised by the boxer-turned-senator’s remark.
“Hindi po ako nagtataka na iyan ang kanyang pakiramdam dahil panahon na po ng pulitika (I am not surprised that he feels that way because it’s the time for politics),” he stressed.
Pacquiao has signaled his intention to run as president in the 2022 polls although he also said it’s possible for him to run as senator again or retire from politics altogether.
The Palace official explained that the number of coronavirus cases in the Philippines is bound to increase because the now dominant strain, Delta variant, is five to eight times more infection than the original Alpha variant.
“The number of cases will really increase because in this variant, you can get infected by just passing by someone who has the virus,” Roque said in Filipino.
READ: Pacquiao says PH gov’t COVID-19 response ‘mismanaged’
Although there were initial studies that said one can get infected by the Delta variant when someone infected passes by, experts said the current health protocols of wearing face masks, social distancing, and vaccination still works.
Pacquiao earlier said that the government has “mismanaged” its COVID-19 response because the situation in the country has gotten worse.
He also reminded President Duterte not to be too defensive when senators look into the alleged corrupt activities of government agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH).
The Senate blue ribbon committee is inquiring into the multibillion government contract awarded to newly registered company, Pharmally Pharmaceutical Inc., for purchasing overpriced medical supplies.
Pacquiao earlier flagged possible corruption in the agency even before the Commission on Audit (COA) said there were deficiencies in the Health department’s management of COVID-19 funds.
READ: Pacquiao on DOH corruption probe: “I feel vindicated’
Roque came to the DOH’s defense, saying that the state auditors themselves clarified that they did not say there was corruption in the agency.
The spokesperson scoffed at the senators’ use of the term “plundemic,” a portmanteau of the words plunder and pandemic.
“So, wala pong plundemic na sinasabi. Ang sinasabi nga po ng COA na nais nilang magkaroon ng linaw kung bakit yung ilang mahahalaga po na salapi na binigay sa DOH ay hindi nga po nagastos (So, there is no plundemic. COA was even saying that they want clarification on why some of the funds given to DOH were not spent),” Roque stressed.
Billions worth of funds were said to be unspent by the Health agency. Critics, however, said the funds could’ve been spent on the Special Risk Allowance (SRA) for health care workers, who have been demanding the DOH to release their allowances and benefits, which have been on hold since last year.
Part of the “deficiencies” found by the state auditors on the P67.3 billion it flagged in DOH’s account is the P40 billion the agency transferred to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS), which was then under Christopher Lloyd Lao, Duterte’s fraternity brother and aide to Senator Christopher “Bong” Go when he was still the Special Assistant to the President (SAP).