Sen. Richard Gordon (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon is still undecided on his political plans and said he prefers to focus on the Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation of the allegedly overpriced pandemic supplies procured by the government.
Gordon on Friday said such was the case even if he was asked by Sen. Manny Pacquiao to be his running mate.
Pacquiao filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president Friday morning together with his running mate, former Manila Mayor and incumbent party-list Rep. Lito Atienza.
“May kausap ako kanina, tumatakbo nang mataas (na posisyon) kahapon kausap ko rin si, ‘yong mga tao ni Manny Pacquiao, eh sabi ko kayo na muna, maghihintay na muna ako hanggang last day. Sa last day ko na lang iaanunsyo,” Gordon told ABS-CBN Teleradyo’s SRO.
(I talked to someone earlier running for a high position, then I also talked to the people of Senator Manny Pacquiao, but I told them to go ahead, I will wait until the last day of the filing of COCs. I will announce it on the last day.)
“’Yon pinag-usapan namin ‘yan, hindi pa naman tapos ‘yon eh. Kung tapos na, wala na. Kung pagdating ng October 8, actually ‘pag hindi pa tapos ito — makikita mo naman talaga na uunahin ko itong imbestigasyon na ito dahil napakalaki ito, for the first time in this country, this is the mother of all corruption,” he added.
(What we are talking about, it’s not yet done. If the filing of COCs passes, then that’s the end. If by October 8 — actually if this hearing is not yet finished, because as you have seen, I will really prioritize this investigation because this is so big, it happened for the first time in this country, this is the mother of all corruption.)
The Senate panel has its eyes on Pharmally Pharamaceutical Corp., the trading company tapped by the government to provide pandemic supplies early into the COVID-19 crisis.
But aside from focusing on the Senate investigation,, he revealed that his wife is also asking him to refrain from politics and attend to their family.
“Malay niyo di na ako tumakbo dahil ang talagang problema ko si Kate, eh talagang nagko-complain na, kami naman ang atupagin mo, pamilya mo naman. Sabi ko mahirap naman ‘yong sa bayan eh ‘ka ko eh iiwanan mo ang bayan,” he explained.
(Maybe I won’t run anymore because my real problem is Kate, she is already complaining that I should focus on my family first. But I said that it is tough to do that because it seems you are leaving the country on its own.)
Gordon, chair of the committee, has earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte for allegedly making a big fuss of the government’s deal with Pharmally, with the Chief Executive saying that Gordon’s assertions would not matter as the items were properly delivered and used already.
In the House of Representatives, the chairperson of the panel looking at the same issue insinuated that the Senate is down to destroy the reputation of President Duterte and those at the forefront of the 2022 elections.