Senator Richard Gordon and President Rodrigo Duterte (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte blasted some senators anew for probing the procurement of allegedly overpriced medical supplies amid the pandemic, accusing them of “politicking.”
Duterte said senators were previously silent on the actions of the executive department, like the transfer of funds to the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service and the release of special risk allowance for health workers.
“Now that the elections are coming near, nagging questions and accusations nandiyan na lahat. The legislative department was given the proper forum to question the actions of the executive department but most of them kept silent. So what is this? In aid of election or legislation?” he said in a public address aired on Wednesday morning.
“Itong sa blue ribbon committee, sa totoo lang, ‘yung ginagawa ninyo sa administration is really politicking. I don’t know, maybe we just achieved so much that the fight can no longer be done based on the merits,” he added.
(This blue ribbon committee, what you’re doing to the administration is really politicking.)
“Ewan ko ba, baka wala na sila ma-display na magawa nila na naghanap na lang ng ikagagalit ng tao sa akin,” the President continued.
(I don’t know, maybe they don’t have anything good to show so they look for something to make Filipinos mad at me.)
Duterte added that the probe in the Senate is not after the truth, since it does not allow respondents to answer completely.
He also blasted Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Richard Gordon, calling him “adversarial.”
“Ang mahirap sa Senado. You cannot tell the truth in the Senate. You know why? Because they would not allow you to complete your answer,” Duterte said.
“You will never arrive doon sa totoo kung puputulin mo ang isang testigo at idagdag mo ‘yung iyong gustong lalabas na sagot. Ganyan si Gordon, adversarial,” he added.
(You will never arrive at the truth if you will cut off the witness and you will add the answer that you want to hear. That’s how Gordon works. He’s adversarial.)
In recent public addresses, President Duterte has been criticizing senators on its probe on the purchase of medical supplies in 2020.