MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte sees “no major lapse” from Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who allegedly failed in negotiations for a supply of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine from US-based Pfizer.
According to Palace spokesman Harry Roque, the President asked Duque to “answer the allegations in the same manner that he defended himself in yesterday’s meeting – very lively, animated [and] emotional.”
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier said Duque “dropped the ball” in the race for 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which could have been shipped in January.
Duque, during Wednesday’s meeting with Duterte, defended himself saying “there is no such a thing as ‘dropping of the ball,’ and the negotiations are ongoing.”
“Hintayin na lang po natin ang mga kasagutan ni Secretary Duque,” Roque said in his virtual press conference on Thursday. “But I think from the overall demeanor of the President, wala naman po siyang nakikitang major lapse.”
“Ang pinag-uusapan po ay kontrata at hindi naman po abogado si Secretary Duque,” he added. “At wala rin pong danyos na nangyari because patuloy pa rin po ang pagkuha natin ng Pfizer.”
The Pfizer vaccine is expected to arrive in the second or third quarter of 2021, he said. The first vaccine that the Philippines might get is from China’s Sinovac, Roque earlier said.
Roque added that it is unlikely for the country to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in January 2021 because the initial supply “is completely paid for by rich countries.”
The Palace spokesperson further noted that the conflict between Locsin and Duque “does not affect the need to have a vaccine.”
“There is only one person in charge of getting the vaccine, it’s Secretary Galvez,” Roque said. “These conflicting opinions between Secretary Locsin and Secretary Duque in the end do not really matter because it’s Secretary Galvez who has full authority.”/PN
