Duterte likens order vs. bidding for face masks to late Cardinal Sin remark

By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte mentioned a statement of the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal L. Sin in reference to his order to skip the bidding process in the purchase of medical equipment during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Sabi ni Cardinal Sin, noong buhay pa, ‘If Satan appears to me and gives me money, I will accept the money and spend it all for the poor. It is not the practice of the Church to ask donors where their donations come from. Our duty is to make sure that all donations go to the poor. The devil remains my enemy, but I will use his resources to feed the poor’,” Duterte said in his taped public address Thursday evening.

The Chief Executive reiterated that the usual bidding process causes delays in the project, saying that its procedures involve various entities.

“Ganito ‘yung sitwasyon natin na sabi ko nga sa una ko, ‘Get it whether you use itong bidding or not’. But I’m sure, I said, ‘There is a law na huwag mo nang i-bidding, bilhin mo na kaagad’ kasi ang experience ko sa gobyerno ‘yung bidding matagal, umiikot pa ng ilang opisina pati departamento,” he added.

The Upper House is currently investigating the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS) and the Department of Health (DOH) over the purchase of allegedly overpriced face masks and face shields.

Senators questioned the fund transfer of P42.41 billion worth of pandemic funds from the DOH to DBM-PS even though the health agency could hold several procurement biddings.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)