By：Reynaldo O. Arcilla
FOREIGN Secretary Teodoro “Tweeterboy” Locsin Jr., in his usual pompous style, said in a tweet:
“Babe (Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez) and I did our brilliant job. Next thing it was questioned as Pfizer/Moderna demanding money down when that was never asked. Babe & I moving on more challenges equally brilliantly surmounted. Babe & I will wear RayBan when we meet face to face koz of our shared radiance.”
“That said my thanks just the same to US Sec of State Mike Pompeo we — Babe Romualdez and I — got 10 million doses of Pfizer financed by World Bank and ADB to be shipped thru FEDEX to Clark in January. BUT SOMEBODY DROPPED THE BALL. I have steel ball bearings. I just need a slingshot,” Locsin added.
The “somebody” who allegedly “dropped the ball” but whom he did not have the gumption to name was later identified by Sen. Panfilo Lacson as Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd.
I wonder how “brilliant” Locsin and Romualdez did their job of supposedly securing a commitment from Pfizer for 10 million doses of its vaccine to be delivered early next year.
If they were so brilliant, why didn’t they secure from Pompeo his commitment in writing? Or from Pfizer? Locsin is a lawyer, isn’t he?
Was a Pfizer representative actually present during their meeting with Pompeo? If not, how can Pompeo possibly commit Pfizer, a US private company, to supply what we wanted unless he was authorized to do so or he is somehow connected personally with the company?
Assuming Locsin and Romualdez had indeed gotten the “firm” commitment from Pompeo and Pfizer for the supply of 10 million doses of the vaccine to us next month, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are now reneging on that commitment.
I base this comment on the report that US officials are now “actively negotiating” for additional purchases of 100 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine.
According to CNN, US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and special adviser Dr. Moncef Slaoui said that Pfizer had been unable to commit to a firm delivery date.
Azar called that “the core issue.”
I take that to mean that Pfizer is now in short supply of its vaccine, given the great demand for it not only from the US, but also from other countries.
Given that “charity begins at home,” would anyone be surprised if Pfizer reneged on its commitment to Locsin, if indeed there was one?
In the meantime, Duque said in a TV interview last week that during his meetings with Pfizer, he was not made aware that a deal had been struck by Locsin and Romualdez with Pompeo.
“I do not recall that na may ganung definitive ba na ‘makakakuha kayo ng 10 million doses. There was nothing like that,” he said.
So too Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the confidential disclosure agreement (CDA) did not cover the actual supply of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine.
“The CDA didn’t contain operational and technical details. There was no mention about doses, what period and other deliveries. Nothing like that,” she noted.
On the other hand, Romualdez claimed that Pfizer wanted the CDA before committing to the supply. He later said he might be partly to blame for what happened because he didn’t call Duque directly to have the CDA signed as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Locsin said he had a telephone chat with Pompeo last Saturday who promised to try “his best” to get even a fraction of the 10 million doses we wanted.
I could be wrong but I have a feeling that that was the same kind of “commitment” he made to Locsin and Romualdez when they met — that he would help on a “best effort basis.”
Could it be that the duo got carried away with such a promise from Pompeo that they thought the deal was in the bag? Just asking.
People are now asking, “Who actually dropped the ball?”
The other question people are asking is, “Did the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank actually commit to finance the 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccine as claimed by Locsin?”
More perilous times ahead
It looks like the world may be in for even more perilous times, on top of the coronavirus pandemic, with the US warning that it would be “more assertive” —read “more aggressive” — in dealing with China in the South China Sea.
To counter what it calls China’s “growing aggressiveness,” the US has been deploying warships to the region more frequently to carry out what it calls “freedom of navigation operations.”
That connotes that China has been violating freedom of navigation in the high seas and impeding the flow of commerce. So far, I have not read or heard of China doing such things.
As I have been saying often enough, for China to do that would be like cutting its nose to spite its face. Does the US think that China is that stupid? The bulk of its trade with the world passes through the same sea lanes. Such a move would most certainly draw instant condemnation from the world at large and retaliation from countries to be directly affected by it.
According to a statement of the US Navy, its ships will also “accept calculated tactical risks and adopt a more assertive posture in our day-to-day operations.”
I think that’s a dangerous proposition as it could very well lead to armed confrontation between China and the US.
All the more reason President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte should forthwith fulfil his promise to get rid of US troops and military bases on our land.
Is ‘Tweeterboy’ changing color?
About three weeks ago, Locsin said in a tweet:
“She (Vice President Leni Robredo) has superabundantly more sense than her desperate followers who find everything wrong with everything that’s going right. BTW, she & the President should be first (to get a coronavirus vaccine), with Congress and the Supreme Court; other officials are superfluous. Plus we’d like to see the effect first.”
Last week, however, he changed tunes when he tweeted:
“No, no, the Yellow are precisely saying that politicians, public officials and their families and friends will get it first. No. Vaccinate or bakunate the opposition first. To answer their criticism. And watch over them for side effects. And see what medicines might work.”
The fellow is an unabashed Amboy, read, Yellow.
* * *
“More than 200 law deans, profs: Junk impeach bid vs Leonen for ‘utter lack of merit’” — headline
Maria Lourdes Sereno was ousted as Supreme Court chief justice for not filing her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs), the same offense that Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has committed.
How can these law deans and professors urge that the impeach bid against Leonen be junked for “utter lack of merit”?
Is Leonen above the law?
* * *
From an internet friend:
Little Johnny wanted to go to the zoo and pestered his parents for days. Finally, his mother talked his reluctant father into taking him.
After several hours, the two men of the family come back, smiling and tired. “So how was it?” his mother asked.
“Great,” Little Johnny replied.
“Did you and your father have a good time?” asked his mother.
“Yeah, Daddy especially liked it,” exclaimed Little Johnny excitedly, “especially when one of the animals came home at 30 to 1!”
Source: Manila Times 22-12-2020