On Thursday, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte called the Philippine Red Cross ‘mukhang pera’ (greedy for money) after learning that the agency resumed COVID-19 testing upon receiving partial payment of PhilHealth's debt.
During a televised meeting among Cabinet officials, Health Secretary Francisco Duque reported that the Red Cross brought back its COVID-19 testing charged to PhilHealth after the state insurance agency paid half of its over P1 billion debt.
Nabayaran na po ang PRC at nagbukas na po silang muli kaya patuloy na po ang kanilang pagsusuri ng mga swab specimen,
Duque said.
On Friday, Senator Richard Gordon replied to the president’s remark and said that he should be more careful in saying impulsive comments as it is ‘not really presidential.’ He also added he was not offended by the remark.
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.
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.
The senator said that Duterte later on called to apologize for the comment.
Tumawag nung birthday ko. [Sabi niya] 'Happy birthday, Dick. Nabigla lang ako. Kalimutan na natin 'yun,
he said.
The PRC resumed its COVID-19 testing services after the initial partial payment was made. Gordon said PhilHealth still owes Red Cross about P377 million.
Gordon defends PH Red Cross after ‘mukhang pera’ remark from Duterte
Reviewed by Issues PH
on
November 06, 2020
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Reviewed by Issues PH
on
November 06, 2020
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