I’m not defending Pharmally, Duterte insists

President Rodrigo Duterte in his public address. Screengrab from RTVM / Palace video

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte said on Thursday that the Senate’s treatment of Cabinet officials in its probe of alleged irregularities in the government’s pandemic purchases prompted him to run for Senator in next year’s elections.

Duterte justified anew his decision to bar executive officials from attending the inquiry into the multibillion-peso contracts bagged by the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., saying he did it to protect his people from being treated badly and not to defend the company.

Duterte said administration officials were not given the chance to present their full explanations during the Senate hearing or were made to wait long hours when they could be attending to the pandemic. —LEILA B. SALAVEIRRA