President Duterte claimed that Senator Gordon was afraid to have Philippine Red Cross funds audited.
President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that Senator Richard Gordon was afraid to have Philippine Red Cross (PRC) funds audited by the Commission on Audit (COA).
In his Talk to the People address aired on Wednesday, President Duterte claimed that Senator Gordon was afraid to be audited by COA because he accumulated a lot of mistakes all throughout the years.
“Takot ka [ma-audit] kasi alam mo marami ka nang atraso all throughout out the years and you cannot possible have the time to cover up everything also. Bakit ka takot?” President Duterte said.
Earlier, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque insisted that the Philippine Red Cross can be subjected to COA audit. The President then echoed his spokesperson during his Talk to the People address, saying that Senator Gordon will face a reckoning.
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In addition, the President continued his attack on Senator Gordon, who was leading a Senate investigation into the government’s pandemic deals, this time saying that the senator should step down from the Philippine Red Cross.
President Duterte also said that a law mandated the Philippine Red Cross to submit annual reports on its finances to the President, its honorary chairman. According to the President, Senator Gordon, who was the chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross, failed to do this.
“Boy scout pa ako noon, Red Cross na ‘yan siya… Ikaw Gordon, mahilig ka mag-imbestiga ng anomalya, katiwalian, pero pagdating sa iyong Red Cross na hinawakan mo parang propriedad mo, for the longest time, hindi ka na natanggal d’yan. Dapat palitan ka na, pero kontrolado mo kasi. Napapaiyak tuloy ako sa‘yo,” President Duterte said.
President Duterte’s claim came amidst the ongoing Senate blue ribbon committee investigation into the PHP 8-billion worth of pandemic supply procurement from Pharmally Pharmaceuticals owned by a handful of Chinese individuals.
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