MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte maintained on Monday that he would not have been elected to the presidency and last as long as he had in the government if he was corrupt as claimed made by Sen. Richard Gordon.
Duterte repeated the statement in his taped weekly “Talk to the People,” during which noted that the Commission on Audit (COA) allegedly said that the pandemic supply deliveries made by Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. were regular and not overpriced — contrary to what Gordon had been saying.
The blue ribbon committee, which Gordon chairs, is investigating Pharmally for allegedly anomalous transactions worth P8.6 billion in 2020.
Last Dec. 7, Gordon said that the footprints and hallmarks of Malacañang and Sen. Bong Go — Duterte’s ally — seemed to be all over the Pharmally mess.
“You know, in truth, if I were a thief, I would not have reached the presidency,” Duterte said, speaking in a mix of Filipino and English.
“I’ve been mayor — like him [Gordon, who was a mayor of Olongapo Ciy] — for 23 years, a congressman who also became vice mayor of my daughter [Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio]. When I was mayor — and you residents of Davao know this — I have my record to show to everybody, my record as a government worker all these years. I have no malversation [case] like [Gordon],” he went on.
“Now, they’re investigating the [purchases of face] masks. The COA said there was no overprice, and everything was in order… Then they can find nothing [wrong]. They really dug into Pharmally, and they implicated me,” he added.
READ: Gordon says Malacañang’s hallmarks all over Pharmally mess as past officials get involved
READ: Bong Go: Duterte and I have no ties with those nailed in Pharmally mess
According to Duterte, Gordon has been talking a lot about the issue and continuing his Senate probe only because it’s the election season — and the senator is seeking reelection in 2022.
“He knows that’s an issue I will include on stage when I speak,” Duterte, who is also running for senator in 2022, said. “He’s not really worthy of being a senator.”
“For the longest time he’s been there, he’s already a millionaire. [Yet] he did not pay the government. That’s enough, Gordon. Take a rest. As long as you’re there, the country’s money is at risk,” he added.
Duterte also claimed again that Gordon was involved in irregularities back when he was chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), allegedly mishandling funds worth P186 million.
This was not the first time Duterte accused Gordon of corruption. Last Oct. 5, the president said Gordon should return the funds as the government would use the money to buy COVID-19 vaccines.
READ: Duterte to Gordon: Pay ‘disallowed’ funds; we need it to buy COVID-19 vaccines
READ: Duterte asks SolGen to act on COA disallowance notice sent to Gordon
Gordon and Duterte, along with administration allies, have been at odds recently over the blue ribbon committee probe of Pharmally.
While Duterte had explicitly said the Senate could “crumple” Pharmally, Gordon accused him of protecting his past officials and those linked to the company, which includes his former economic adviser, Michael Yang.
READ: ‘Napapaso ba kayo?’ Gordon hits ‘Atty. Duterte’ for defending Yang, others in Pharmally deals
Gordon also claimed that Pharmally officials and siblings Mohit and Twinkle Dargani tried to escape the country through Davao City, which was convenient because it is Duterte’s hometown.
READ: Gordon, Lacson on capture of Dargani siblings: Davao City not safe haven for them