SENATOR RICHARD Gordon refuted President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that he is not involved in corruption, saying this contradicted a statement the chief executive made years ago.
During the continuation of the Senate blue
ribbon committee’s investigation into the government procurement of COVID-19
supplies, Gordon cited Duterte's 2017 speech before a Filipino-Chinese
organization where the President supposedly admitted committing corruption.
“Ang isasagot ko lang po para sa alam ng madla,
napakasimple lang po. Ito po ang sinabi ng Presidente doon sa Philippine
Chinese Charitable Association at Manila Hotel, June 28, 2017,” Gordon said.
Gordon quoted Duterte as saying: “I hate
corruption. Hindi ako nagmamalinis. Marami rin akong nanakaw pero naubos na.
Corruption is really out during my term.”
“Inamin niya po yan, admission against
self-interest…Yun lang po ang sagot ko, Mr. President. Kayo na umamin na kayo
ay nagnakaw sa gobyerno. Di po kami ang nagsabi niyan. Kayo ang nagsabi niyan.
Wala po akong nagsasabing nagnakaw kayo,” he said.
In his latest public address, Duterte, once
again lambasted Gordon and said he would
have not won the presidency if he is corrupt. He then
accused Gordon and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon of being corrupt.
Drilon, in response to Duterte’s tirade, said he
has never been tried by any anti-graft court in his
entire stint as a public servant.
Duterte has been criticizing several senators in
his public addresses as the Blue Ribbon committee, which Gordon chairs,
continues to scrutinize the transfer of P42 billion Covid-19 funds from the
Department of Health to the Department of Budget and Management Procurement
Service.
Gordon said it would be Duterte’s fault if there
are delays in the course of the Senate investigation. “Pinapaalam ko lang po sa
mga mamamayan natin na talagang kung may delay [sa imbestigasyon] ang may
kasalanan po ay ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, hindi po tayo,” he said.
He said Duterte’s “signals” for resource persons
not to attend the Senate probe because he was being dragged into it, adding,
Duterte also barred Cabinet members from attending the Senate inquiry.
Apart from the transfer of multi-billion funds
from the DOH to the PS-DBM, the Senate investigation includes PS-DBM’s purchase
of P8.6 billion worth of face masks, face shields, and PPEs from Pharmally
Pharmaceutical Corporation, a firm that is being linked to Chinese businessman
Michael Yang, Duterte’s former economic adviser.
The company only had a P625,000 paid-up capital
when it entered transactions with the government. (By
Hana Bordey, KBK, Gma News)
