As Congress prepares to tackle the possible extension of emergency powers for President Rodrigo Duterte amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health should at least avoid overpricing in acquiring equipment.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson issued the reminder Saturday as he said the DOH should also step up its contact tracing and improve the accuracy of its COVID-19 reporting.
“Isantabi muna ang katakawan sa pangungurakot. Patawarin na muna ang pandemic kasi nagkakamatay ang kababayan tapos sasamantalahin pa. Parang yan na ang height ng greed and insatiability,” he said in an interview on Abante Radyo Tabloidista.
Earlier this year, Lacson bared a pattern of overpricing at the DOH for medical equipment used to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
These involved equipment ranging from swab systems to nucleic acid extraction machines.
“Importante naman patawarin nila procurement, huwag na overpricing. Overpricing na doble pa presyo. Di ba sa ating Committee of the Whole hearing noon, ang $16 halaga e $32 ang bili nila? Huwag naman sana. Kasi magkaroon ng konsensya ito hinaharap natin pandemic,” Lacson said.
He also noted the Ombudsman is conducting a fact-finding investigation and this may go to the preliminary investigation stage.
“Ang Ombudsman nagsasagawa ngayon ng fact-finding investigation patungo na ito sa PI. Sana aabot ito sa logical conclusion maparusahan ang dapat maparusahan,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson said the DOH should ensure its reports are accurate, and prioritize contact tracing.
He said the neglect of contact tracing in the early stages of the pandemic may have allowed the virus to spread in the Philippines.
Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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