Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday told vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. that there are no politics involved in the Senate’s probe on the government’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.
“Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. virtually accused the Senate or at least some senators who asked questions during last Monday’s hearing of, quoting his own words, ‘demonizing vaccine developers or hurting the ongoing negotiations of the government with vaccine manufacturers and suppliers apparently referring to Sinovac,” Lacson said.
“Let me assure Secretary Galvez, walang pulitika sa pagdinig na ito. Katulad din ng isinagawa natin pagdinig kamakailan lamang sa pang-aabusong ginawa sa pondo ng PhilHealth,” he added.
The senator refuted the allegations that he has other agenda linked to his criticisms against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in the past.
Lacson defended that the Senate was just exercising “check and balance” in conducting the probe.
“Let me assure Secretary Galvez, walang pulitika sa pagdinig na ito. Katulad din ng isinagawa natin pagdinig kamakailan lamang sa pangaabusong ginawa sa pondo ng PhilHealth,” Lacson said.
“It is incumbent upon us to exercise our mandate to demand transparency and accountability from our chief implementers on how they use or plan to use public funds… Tagatanong lang tayo Mr. President, ang mga resource person ang nagbibigya ng mga datos na minsan ay mgakakasalungat at magulo,” he added.
Lacson told Galvez no politics in Senate vaccine probe
In November 2020, Galvez Jr. vowed that politics would play no role in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We will ensure na hindi po magiging pulitika ito dahil we want to save lives at saka ‘yung ating economy,” Galvez, also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said.
“Yun po ang pinaka-primary focus ng vaccine natin, na manumbalik po ang ating normalcy sa ating pamumuhay tsaka maka-recover nang husto ang ating economy,” he said.
“So, hindi po natin gagamitin ito kung saan man sa pulitika kasi I think that’s immoral.”
Galvez earlier said that up to 137 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been secured by the government.
He said that American Pfizer and China Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the country first in February.