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Locsin defends Pfizer as Duque invokes prudence in vaccine procurement

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/12/18/20200204-senate-hearing-ncov-gc-4384.jpg"/><figcaption>Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during a Senate hearing on preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic, February 4, 2020. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. came to the defense of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Friday after it was allegedly &quot;blamed&quot; for causing the &quot;delay&quot; in the COVID-19 vaccine procurement deal with the Philippines.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8wA5ko1l1wU?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><p>In a tweet, Locsin said Pfizer having a &quot;free and harmless&quot; clause was not unusual for any vaccine developer, hence should not be cited as a reason for the delay in the negotiation. </p><p>&quot;Anyone says the delay was caused by Pfizer requiring that it be held free and harmless for any harm caused by its vaccine. All vaccine makers demand the same free and harmless clause. I mean f*cking all. Also Pfizer never demanded down payment. Come up with better b.s. Next,&quot; the cabinet official said.</p><p>It was Locsin and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez who exposed how an official, then unnamed, allegedly &quot;dropped the ball&quot; midway through the negotiation with Pfizer to supply the country with some &quot;10 million doses&quot; of its vaccine by early 2021.</p><p>Pfizer-BioNTech&#x27;s COVID-19 vaccine is already in use in the US and the United Kingdom.</p><p>Sen. Panfilo Lacson later revealed it was Health Secretary Francisco Duque III behind the allegedly bungled deal.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/03/20/ginayuma-si-duterte-lacson-takang-taka-kung-bakit-di-masibak-sa-puwesto-si-duque">Ginayuma si Duterte? Lacson takang-taka kung bakit di masibak sa puwesto si Duque</a></li></ul><p>But Duque on Thursday defended himself and said all talks with the Western drug maker were &quot;open-ended, exploratory.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/17/20/duque-denies-causing-delay-in-access-to-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine">Duque denies causing delay in access to Pfizer&#x27;s COVID-19 vaccine</a></li></ul><p>He said he was clueless where Locsin, Romuladez, and Lacson got their figures. </p><p>The health chief was also criticized for supposedly failing to sign soon enough the Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA) as required by Pfizer. Lacson claimed this led the pharmaceutical giant to give their vaccine supply to Singapore instead.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/17/20/ph-lags-behind-some-southeast-asian-neighbors-in-covid-19-vaccine-procurement">PH lags behind some Southeast Asian neighbors in COVID-19 vaccine procurement</a></li></ul><p>&quot;You have to give allowances to the fact that... this is my first time to have signed a CDA. So I have to be very, very cautious in what I am signing to ensure the government’s interest is first and foremost protected. That there are no onerous provisions,&quot; Duque said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/17/20/issue-becoming-political-galvez-defends-duque-amid-dropping-the-ball-allegations">Issue ‘becoming political’: Galvez defends Duque amid ‘dropping the ball’ allegations</a></li></ul><p>Duque found an ally in vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. who belied reports Pfizer was set to deliver 10 million doses of its vaccine to the Philippines as early as January, as claimed by Lacson, Locsin, and Romualdez.</p><div><strong>DOWNPAYMENT?</strong></div><p>In the same tweet, Locsin claimed Pfizer &quot;never demanded down payment&quot; from the government as some quarters speculated it could be the reason for the supposed fallout. </p><p>In September, it was President Rodrigo Duterte who accused Western pharmaceutical companies of &quot;profiting&quot; amid the pandemic by seeking a &quot;cash advance&quot; to secure supplies.</p><p>&quot;One thing wrong of Western countries, it&#x27;s all profit, profit, profit. There&#x27;s a pandemic, and you say, &#x27;We have something for sale. Or something to sell to you.&#x27; Now they&#x27;re asking for parang reservation fee, wala pa sila [vaccine]. Sabi nila, &#x27;Pag naimbento na ito, natapos na namin &#x27;yung trials&#x27;...There is nothing with finality and you want us to make a reservation by depositing money. You must be crazy,&quot; Duterte said in a September 15 public address.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/14/20/duterte-prefers-covid-19-vaccines-from-china-russia">Duterte prefers COVID-19 vaccines from China, Russia</a></li></ul><p>He cited this as the reason he prefers vaccines from China and Russia. </p><p>On Thursday, officials said government may use COVID-19 vaccines from four sources: Russia&#x27;s Gamaleya Institute and China&#x27;s Sinovac, Sinopharm and CanSino.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/17/20/philippines-eyes-4-coronavirus-vaccines-in-first-quarter-2021">Philippines eyes 4 coronavirus vaccines in first quarter 2021</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jgt5G4mkrG0?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>

<p>In a tweet Friday, Locsin said Pfizer having a "free and harmless" clause was not unusual for any vaccine developer, hence should not be cited as a reason for delay in the negotiation. </p>

In a tweet Friday, Locsin said Pfizer having a "free and harmless" clause was not unusual for any vaccine developer, hence should not be cited as a reason for delay in the negotiation.