President Rodrigo Duterte should have stepped down from the presidency before the issue on “overpriced” COVID-19 supplies surfaced, Senator Richard Gordon said Saturday in response to the chief executive’s latest tirades.
In a radio interview, Gordon — who leads the Senate inquiry on the alleged overpricing of medical supplies for the COVID-19 response in 2020 — also said that Duterte’s offer to resign was “good” and that he should have done so much earlier.
Amid Senate inquiry on the alleged overpricing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets that the government purchased last year, Duterte said he would resign if the graft allegation is proven.
Gordon said in response, “Mabuti. Dapat nagbitiw na siya nang lumabas ang pangalan ng mga ito” (That’s good. He should have resigned when the names of those involved in medical supplies overpricing floated.)
Further, the senator said: Dapat nagbitiw na siya nung nakita nagko-korapsyon sina Argonsino at Robles. Dapat nagbitaw na siya nang mahuli si Albayalde at kailangan mag-resign para makalabas sa kaso.”
(Duterte should have resigned when it was proven that Argosino and Robles had committed corruption. He should have resigned when former top cop Albayalde was caught in the middle of an illegal drug operation controversy.)
Gordon was referring to former Immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, who have recently been convicted by the Sandiganbayan over a P50-million bribery case.
On the other hand, former National Police chief Oscar Albayalde resigned from his post after a Gordon-led Senate inquiry dug into the allegedly anomalous anti-illegal drug operation by the Pampanga police in November 2013.
Albayalde, who was then the chief of Pampanga police, allegedly intervened in the implementation of a dismissal order on 13 police officers involved in the said operation.
“‘Di niya pinalo e. ‘Di niya hinahabol yung mga kaibigan niya. Ang hinahabol niya e ‘yung mga nagsasabi sa kanya ng totoo, na talagang nagsisilbi lang naman, nagmamalasakit sa tao,” Gordon said.
[He treated his friends with kid gloves. But he was harsh on those who tell him the truth, and those who earnestly served the people.]
Likewise, Gordon cited former Customs commissioner Nicanor Faeldon who was recycled to various government posts after being embroiled in the controversy involving P6.4-billion illegal drugs haul from China that slipped past the authorities under his watch.
Faeldon, a former Marine, also worked as Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator, and Bureau of Corrections director general.
Earlier, Gordon cried foul over Duterte’s tirades against him, involving his work as chairman at the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
“’Di naman tama na isasama nyo pa ang Red Cross. ‘Di naman po ako ang Red Cross. Isa lang ako, Mr. President. I am just a mere volunteer. Wala akong sweldo d’yan. ‘Wag n’yo naman kami siraan. Magalit kayo sa akin, sige po kaya ko naman,” Gordon said.
(It’s unfair to drag the Red Cross in this issue. I am not the Red Cross. I am just a mere volunteer, for which I am not getting paid. Don’t destroy PRC’s reputation. You can get mad at me. I can handle it.)
As to Duterte’s threat to pull the plug on all government transactions with the PRC, Gordon said, “it’s up to the President.”
Distraction from the issue
President Duterte’s attacks, Gordon said, are just a distraction from the issue of alleged overpriced face masks and face shields.
“Alam ko naman dini-distract n’yo lang ang isyu… (I know you’re distracting the issue). Kaya mag-ingat din kayo kasi lahat ay may katapusan” (But be careful Mr. President, everything will come to an end), Gordon said.
Gordon appealed to the President to let the Senate inquiry run its course.
I am asking you to let the Senate do its investigation for the sake of the people. Don’t distract us so that the people will get what they deserve, Gordon said in Filipino. —LBG, GMA News
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