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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gordon on Duterte's angry reaction to Lao probe: 'Are we hiding something here?'

Gordon on Duterte's angry reaction to Lao probe: 'Are we hiding something here?'

Published Aug 31, 2021 02:50 pm

Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday bucked President Duterte’s warning he would bar Cabinet members from attending congressional inquiries saying this would mean that he is hiding something.

Gordon made the remark as he questioned why the President is losing his cool after the Senate blue ribbon committee, is investigating Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and now former undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao over the Department of Health’s (DOH) transfer of P42-billion worth of COVID-19 response funds to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM-PS) even without a memorandum of agreement or any proper documentation.

The senator said the President is supposed to respond to the anomalies that the Commission on Audit (COA) has uncovered in the discrepancies regarding the DOH’s handling of its P67.3-billion pandemic response funds instead of attacking the Senate and the COA itself.

The Senate itself is zeroing in on Lao’s approval of an P8-billion procurement deal with Pharmally Corp. for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPEs) which were deemed overpriced.

“Are these questions legitimate? Mr. President, I think they are legitimate. And if you’re a good president, a good man that I know you are, I think you should ask your men, ano ginawa mo dyan? Bakit hindi mo chinek (what did you do? Why didn’t you check it)?” Gordon pointed out during a virtual press briefing.

“The President is adamant. I don’t know why the President should lose his cool because Lao is being investigated. What are we hiding here?” the Senate blue ribbon panel chief stressed.

“An even bigger mistake if you tell your people not to attend. It shows you are hiding something. Or maybe di ako dapat magulat (I should not be surprised),” the senator added.

Earlier, Duterte warned of a constitutional crisis after he threatened to bar Cabinet members from attending congressional inquiries especially if they are “rudely” being asked questions by lawmakers.

Duterte claimed Duque could not even complete his answer without being interrupted by the senators. He singled out Gordon and Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

For his part, Gordon said he doesn’t feel slighted with the way the President made a personal attack on his appearance, and said he forgives the chief executive for his tirades against him.

“Sabi niya he’s against corruption. So I’m following his dictum. Dapat kapag may corrupt, labanan. Right? Wala pa naman tayong sinasabing corruption, nag iimbestiga pa tayo (If there is corruption, we should fight it, right? We haven’t been saying there is corruption, we’re still investigating here,” he pointed out.

“The nature of the blue ribbon is to investigate at kung mag iinvestigate tayo, dapat ginagawa natin ang homework natin, (and if we are investigating, we should be doing our homework),” he said.

“Forgive me if I offend you. You know I forgive you because you go into personal attacks. That’s fine with me. Alam ko mahina ang tao na umaatake ng personal (Only weak people make personal attacks). That is the refuge of the scoundrels. And I don’t think that you are a scoundrel,” Gordon further said.

Related Tags

Senate COVID-19 FUNDS COA probe richard gordon DUTERTE doh
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