Sen. Richard Gordon confirmed Thursday President Duterte’s disclosure that the lawmaker’s pork barrel funds went to the Philippine Red Cross, but stressed there was nothing irregular as this was already cleared by the Commission on Audit (COA) which, he said, found nothing irregular long time ago.
Gordon, sitting chairman of Red Cross way before his election to the Senate, recalled that he had long ago cleared the matter, with COA giving the green light, as well as with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The senator sought the clarification long before President Duterte disclosed recently that Gordon was giving his pork barrel funds to the Red Cross where he serves as its long-time chairman.
Gordon admitted clearing the issue earlier with authorities concerned and was assured by regulators this was allowed, recalling that there was “no objection from COA, was approved by the Department of Social Welfare [and Development] and everything was liquidated.”
The senator surmised that the President was raising the issue because Duterte got mad after the Senate “investigated his people, including cronies who were linked to irregularities, including the mass purchase of face masks and personal protective equipment [PPEs] and other anti-pandemic supplies.”
In turn, Gordon dared President Duterte to prove that he pocketed his pork barrel funds that, he assured, “cannot be proven as no such thing happened.”
The senator suggested that President Duterte stop picking on the Senate, and instead order an investigation into Senate findings on the “overpriced” face masks, PPEs and nearly expiring Covid test kits.