The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is set to hold a hearing next week to conduct a probe into the alleged non-disclosure or refusal of the Department of Health (DOH) to release the vaccine procurement contracts with manufacturers.
In an advisory signed by panel chairman Senator Francis Tolentino which was released Monday, the public hearing is scheduled on Dec. 14 at 10 am.
The investigation comes after Commission on Audit (COA) Chief Gamaliel Cordoba revealed that the health department initially requested COA for a special audit on the COVID-19 vaccine procurement.
But he claimed that DOH secretary Francis Duque withheld the contracts and documents related to vaccine procurement.
“Si Sec. Duque wrote to us stating that hindi po sila makakabigay ng mga dokumento na ito because they [had] an NDA [Non-disclosure agreement] with [vaccine] suppliers,” the COA Chief earlier told Senators.
The special audit was mandated by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to DOH because the money used on vaccine procurement was loaned from them.
In a separate statement, Senator Risa Hontiveros stressed the importance of COA’s special audit on DOH's COVID-19 vaccine procurement.
“Over 2 years I have urged, time and time again through several resolutions, for COA to conduct a special audit. Paulit-ulit ang panawagan, hindi lang galing sa akin, but even other senators and officials as well,” she said.
“Habang tumatagal ang proseso ng special audit, hindi natin matukoy ang mga ahensya at indibidwal na posibleng sangkot sa mga pagsasayang o anomalya sa pondong ginasta at inutang ng gubyerno para sa ating COVID-19 responses,” Hontiveros added.
The Senators included in the Blue Ribbon panel are Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa, Bong Go, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Sonny Angara, Sherwin 'Win' Gatchalian, Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr., and Mark Villar.
Also included are Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Imee Marcos, Raffy Tulfo, JV Ejercito, Grace Poe, Manuel 'Lito' Lapid, Robinhood Padilla, and Hontiveros.
The Ex Officio are Senators Koko Pimentel, Joel Villanueva, and Loren Legarda.
