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Duterte 'sees no major lapse' in claim that Duque 'dropped ball' in vaccine talks

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Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<h2>Locsin, Duque conflict &#x27;does not matter&#x27;: Duterte spox</h2><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/12/17/20200810-duterte-iatf-eid-mnib-11-2.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte confers with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Presidential Guest House in Panacan, Davao City on Aug. 10 , 2020. <em>Joey Dalumpines, Presidential Photo/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte &quot;sees no major lapse&quot; by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who is accused of &quot;dropping the ball&quot; in negotiations for a supply of the COVID-19 vaccine from US-based Pfizer, Malacañang said on Thursday.</p><p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Locsin Jr. earlier said <a href="https://twitter.com/teddyboylocsin/status/1338676214026792960" target="_blank">&quot;somebody dropped the ball&quot;</a> 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.</p><p>Duterte has asked the Health secretary to &quot;answer the allegations of Secretary Locsin in the same manner that he defended himself in yesterday&#x27;s meeting--very lively, animated [and] emotional,&quot; said the President&#x27;s spokesman Harry Roque.</p><p>Duque in Monday&#x27;s meeting with Duterte said <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/16/20/duque-says-negotiations-with-pfizer-still-ongoing" target="_blank">&quot;there is no such a thing as ‘dropping of the ball,’</a> if you look into the statement, the negotiations are ongoing.&quot;</p><p>&quot;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,&quot; Roque said in a online press briefing.</p><p>(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.)</p><p>&quot;At wala rin pong danyos na nangyari because patuloy pa rin po ang pagkuha natin ng Pfizer,&quot; he added.</p><p>(And no damage occurred because we will still get the Pfizer vaccine.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/G514U7jOKHc?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div style="text-align:center"><em>Video courtesy of PTV</em></div><p>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&#x27;s Sinovac, Roque earlier said.</p><p>It is unlikely for the Philippines to get the Pfizer vaccine in January 2021 because the initial supply &quot;is completely paid for na (already) by the rich countries,&quot; he said.</p><p>The conflict between Locsin and Duque &quot;does not affect our need to have vaccine because the vaccine czar is no other than Secretary [Carlito] Galvez,&quot; said Roque.</p><p>&quot;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&#x27;s Secretary Galvez,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;These conflicting opinions between Secretary Locsin and Secretary Duque in the end does not really matter because it&#x27;s Secretary Galvez who has full authority,&quot; he said.</p><p>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.</p><div><strong>RELATED STORIES:</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/10/20/which-covid-19-vaccine-is-most-cost-friendly-for-ph-government">Which COVID-19 vaccine is most cost-friendly for PH government?</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/11/11/20/pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-very-promising-but-has-cold-chain-issues-who">Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine &#x27;very promising&#x27; but has cold chain issues: WHO</a></li></ul><div> </div>

<p>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.</p>

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.

Duterte 'sees no major lapse' in claim that Duque 'dropped ball' in vaccine talks

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Duterte 'sees no major lapse' in claim that Duque 'dropped ball' in vaccine talks

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 17, 2020 02:04 PM PHT

|

Updated Dec 17, 2020 04:50 PM PHT

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Duterte Duque

Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte

coronavirus vaccine

Duque

Pfizer

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Duque dropped ball

Locsin

Malacañang

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