By: Reigh John Bench Almendras
Photo Courtesy: The Asia Foundation.
A legal challenge has been filed with the Supreme Court (SC) demanding that key government agencies disclose all information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine supply agreements, stating the public's right to know how billions of pesos were spent during the pandemic.
Former Solicitor General Jose Anselmo I. Cadiz, alongside lawyers Randall C. Tabayoyong, Jeffrey B. Constantino, and Nizzane P. Vico, submitted a petition to the SC, naming the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the Commission on Audit (COA) as respondents.
The petitioners are seeking to compel the mentioned agencies to release detailed information about the vaccine procurement process, including the brands, quantities, and prices of vaccines acquired.
They argued that the significant expenditure of approximately P113.5 billion, with over 92% sourced from loans, necessitates public transparency.
"Given the number of deaths due to the pandemic and the Philippine government’s allotment of almost P113.5 billion for procurement of vaccines... made such information truly a matter of utmost public interest," the petition stated.
The lawyers claim that their requests for information, made through the agencies' respective Freedom of Information (FOI) manuals, were denied.
They stated that the respondents' refusal violates Section 28 of the 1987 Constitution, which mandates full disclosure of government transactions involving public interest, and Section 7, Article II, which guarantees the people's right to information on matters of public concern.
"We are hopeful that, through this Petition, the Supreme Court will recognize the urgency and importance of our request for the Supply Agreements as well as the grave abuse of discretion that the respondents committed in denying that request. In the end, we are only trying to uphold the people's right to information guaranteed under our Constitution," the petitioners stated.
The Supreme Court is expected to deliberate on the petition after the Holy Week recess, potentially setting a precedent for government transparency in large-scale public health expenditures.