Locsin, Duque conflict 'does not matter': Duterte spox

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte "sees no major lapse" by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who is accused of "dropping the ball" in negotiations for a supply of the COVID-19 vaccine from US-based Pfizer, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Locsin Jr. earlier said "somebody dropped the ball" in the race to get 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which could have been shipped in January. Locsin was referring to Duque, said Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Duterte has asked the Health secretary to "answer the allegations of Secretary Locsin in the same manner that he defended himself in yesterday's meeting--very lively, animated [and] emotional," said the President's spokesman Harry Roque.

Duque in Monday's meeting with Duterte said "there is no such a thing as ‘dropping of the ball,’ if you look into the statement, the negotiations are ongoing."

"Hintayin na lang po natin ang mga kasagutan ni Secretary Duque. But I think from the overall demeanor of the President, wala naman po siyang nakikitang major lapse dahil ang pinag-uusapan po ay kontrata at hindi naman po abogado po is Secretary Duque," Roque said in a online press briefing.

(Let us just wait for the answer of Secretary Duque. But I think from the overall demeanor of the President, but I think from the overall demeanor of the President, he does not see any major lapse because we are talking about a contract and Secretary Duque.)

"At wala rin pong danyos na nangyari because patuloy pa rin po ang pagkuha natin ng Pfizer," he added.

(And no damage occurred because we will still get the Pfizer vaccine.)

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Video courtesy of PTV

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.

It is unlikely for the Philippines to get the Pfizer vaccine in January 2021 because the initial supply "is completely paid for na (already) by the rich countries," he said.

The conflict between Locsin and Duque "does not affect our need to have vaccine because the vaccine czar is no other than Secretary [Carlito] Galvez," said Roque.

"Mag-away na ang lahat kung gusto nila (they can all fight if they want). The President has made it clear: there is only one person in charge of getting the vaccine, it's Secretary Galvez," he said.

"These conflicting opinions between Secretary Locsin and Secretary Duque in the end does not really matter because it's Secretary Galvez who has full authority," he said.

The President has repeatedly rejected calls for the firing of the Health chief over his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the P15-billion corruption allegation against medical state insurer PhilHealth, whose board is chaired by Duque.

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