Gordon responds to Duterte’s “mukhang pera” remark
Senator and Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon stressed that the organization is not greedy for money.
This was after PRC was criticized by President Rodrigo Duterte for stopping COVID-19 tests due to the government’s P1.1 billion debt.
“I’ll give him (Duterte) the benefit of the doubt. Baka naman ang tinutukoy n’ya ‘yung talagang nagsamantala nung hindi kami nag-test kasi ang baba ng test namin, ‘yung halaga,” Gordon said.
Related Article: President Duterte Calls Philippine Red Cross ‘Mukhang Pera’ Amid PhilHealth Debt Issue
“Hindi kami mukhang pera. Pero sabi ko lang, dahan-dahan naman sa pananalita because nakakatulong naman kami. Hindi naman kami umutang, sila ang umutang, sila nagpa-test, ginawa namin. ‘Di ba dapat bayaran ninyo?… I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt out of respect to the president,” he added.
In mid-October, the Philippine Red Cross suspended the COVID-19 testing of repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) due to the unpaid debt of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as much as P1 billion with the organization.
Recently, President Duterte chides at PRC after suspending the conduct of COVID-19 tests.
Duterte quipped that the organization is “mukhang pera” or in other words greedy for money while in a meeting with his Cabinet members.
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