FOR the ninth time, President Rodrigo Duterte hinted on giving up presidency if anybody would be able to prove graft in the COVID-19 procurement deals involving vaccine czar and National Task Force (NTF) Chief Iimplementer Secretary Carlito Galvez.
In a statement, Duterte vouched for the integrity of Galvez, who has been swarmed by criticisms for his refusal to disclose the cost of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines the government was hoping to procure.
“[Y]ou know, Secretary Galvez, he is doing everything he can. Mabuti’t natapos na giparangkahan ko talaga sila,” Duterte said in a speech before government servicemen.
“Ang sabi ko ipusta ko ‘yung presidency ko, walang graft ‘yan at si Secretary Galvez kilala ko,” Duterte said.
“Para sa akin I was there in Marawi when we were fighting the Islamists and I saw in him the… Kaya noong pag-retire niya, kinuha ko. Tapos ngayon ito ibinigay ko sa kanya lahat, ‘Ikaw, ikaw lang ang magturo nito’,” he added.