President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to stop government transactions with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) if they won't provide financial records for auditing. During his recorded public address aired on Saturday, September 11, 2021. Duterte said he will write a letter to PRC, a private entity, to open up its financial records for a government audit.
“In the coming days, I will write you a letter to open up your records because I will also request [Comission Of Audit (COA) chair Michael] Aguinaldo—and I am sure he knows his business—that there is money in Red Cross belonging to the government which he has to look into,” Duterte said, addressing PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon. "If you don't want to, then I will be forced to totally disassociate with you. I will stop the national government from having transactions with you in any manner. I don't care, I won't give you money." He threatened.
“As far as I am concerned, Red Cross does not exist. When you can create a controversy there or a crisis, I do not mind because I said I am on the right track. Either you submit to an auditing procedure or we quarrel,” Duterte further said. Duterte threatened the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. Where Gordon chairs looked into the procurement of alleged overpriced medical supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Duterte, COA can audit PRC because it has been receiving financial aid from the government. “If it (PRC) is totally independent, you are correct. But it is not totally independent because you have been receiving financial aid from the Republic of the Philippines at and you're receiving cash from PCSO (Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office),” he said. “Now, any money belonging to the Republic of the Philippines given to an agency, whatever the nature, if you are operating here and you receive the money and spend it, you are accountable to the government and therefore an audit is in order,” he added. However, COA stated earlier that it has no jurisdiction to audit the PRC as the latter is a non-government humanitarian organization.
In a statement on Saturday, the Red Cross called on and reached out to the President to reconsider the Filipino's deprivation by their services. Should the government terminate all its dealings with the organization. Lawyer Lorna Kapunan, a member of the Red Cross board of governors, was distressed that the President threatened to cut ties with the Red Cross only because of his disdain for Gordon. “The Philippine Red Cross is not (Sen. Richard Gordon). It is a humanitarian organization with the President himself as the honorary governor, with a 30-member board of governors, six of which are presidential appointees,” she said.
Image source: Philippine Red Cross
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