Duterte wants Duque to ‘answer’ claims on Pfizer deal

By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to “answer” allegations that he “dropped the ball” on the shipment of Pfizer vaccines for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) to the Philippines, Malacañang said Thursday.

“The advice of the President to Secretary Duque is to answer the allegations,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed yesterday that Duque failed to submit a single document that would have given the country access to 10 million doses of vaccine from the American drug maker.

Last Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted that he and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez were able to secure delivery of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine but “someone dropped the ball.”

“Let him answer muna the allegations. I think he wants a judgment from him. But I think the President was clear: There is a controversy. There is an allegation. He should answer and we’ll take it from there,” added Roque.

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