JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said he would see to it that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) proceed with its investigation of the couple who offered the government overpriced medical equipment needed in the fight against Covid-19 outbreak.
President Duterte on Monday directly ordered the NBI to determine if there is basis to file criminal complaints against couple Van William and Emily Co.
“The President has given a direct order to the NBI last night [Monday night]. I will make sure that the order is implemented,” Guevarra said.
The Co couple are owners of Omnibus Bio-Medical Systems, a distributor of Sansure in the Philippines.
Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Lao explained that the couple wrote to the Department of Budget and Management and offered an automated extraction machine at P4 million, while another e-mail indicated that the equipment is priced at P4.35 million.
But Sen. Panfilo Lacson disclosed that the machine can be bought directly from Sansure at P1.75 million, triggering fresh calls for Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s resignation from his post for allegedly mishandling the health crisis.
Lao said that the couple’s company did not win in the bidding as the government opted to buy from a Hong-Kong based corporation also distributing Sansure, “but they are complaining why are we not respecting their exclusive distributorship.”
The NBI was asked to determine if the couple may be held liable under the special law on Anti-Profiteering and the Bayanihan Act.