Former Solicitor General Demands Transparency: Seeks Supreme Court Order for COVID-19 Vaccine Spending Disclosure
Source: news.source.rappler
Jose Anselmo Cadiz, a former solicitor general, along with other lawyers, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the Philippines to compel the government to disclose details of COVID-19 vaccine procurement. The petition accuses several government agencies of unlawfully withholding supply agreements signed during Rodrigo Duterte's presidency. The lawyers argue that this secrecy violates the public's constitutional right to information, especially critical given the billions of pesos spent on vaccines.
Key Points
A petition was filed by Jose Anselmo Cadiz and other lawyers to the Supreme Court to force the government to reveal details of COVID-19 vaccine procurement.
The petition accuses the Department of Health, Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, and Commission on Audit of unlawfully withholding vaccine supply agreements.
The agreements were signed during Rodrigo Duterte's term, and the petitioners claim the secrecy violates the public's right to information.
The government spent P113.5 billion on vaccines, funded by the national budget and loans from international banks.
The petitioners argue that the public has a right to know how their funds were used, especially in critical situations like the procurement of vaccines during a pandemic.
