Sotto amid COVID-19 crisis: Relax the rules to save lives of Filipinos

Senate President Vicente Sotto III. (FILE PHOTO / Cesar Tomambo of Senate PRIB)

“Throw the rules out the window to save the lives of the Filipinos.”

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said this was what he told the executive department as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

“In our teleconference last week, within earshot of the other senators, I told the [executive department] to throw the rules out the window to save the lives of the Filipinos,” Sotto told reporters in a Viber message on Monday.

“In these times of emergencies, pwede lahat [everything is allowed]. Rules are relaxed. I specifically told [Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado] to ask COA [Commission on Audit] to relax the rules. Buhay muna bago pera. Yun pera kikitain uli, yun buhay hindi na!” he said.

(Life before money. Money can be earned while lives can’t be brought back).

This as he reiterated that there is enough money to fund the fight against the COVID-19 crisis.

Sotto added that President Rodrigo Duterte would “do whatever it takes to produce money and keep us healthy and alive.”

“Hindi literal ‘yun [That’s not literal], but if push comes to shove, he will do that,” he added.

Earlier, the chief executive raised the possibility of selling assets of the government as a last resort should fund for the COVID-19 response runs out.

Duterte earlier extended the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon for more than two weeks as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

As of Sunday, Philippine health authorities have confirmed 4,648 COVID-19 cases in the country.

Of the number, 297 patients have died while 197 have already recovered from the disease.

Edited by JPV