By Robina Asido

President Rodrigo Duterte called on the Department of Health (DOH) to investigate the false positive COVID-19 test results from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

"I would also like to ask, are your testing facilities and equipment really as good as you say they are, because I have heard of many false positive cases from your laboratories. Can you enlighten the Filipino people on this?," Duterte said in his pre-taped Talk to The People on Monday night.

"Because of this information, maybe the DOH must investigate this matter. You could be putting more people at risk. You could be falsely adding to the total positive cases per day of this country," he added.

Duterte said there were a high percentage of false positive results among the RT-PCR test made by the PRC to some healthcare personnel, members of Presidential Security Group (PSG) and officials of the Department of Finance (DOF).

"I was informed that 44 out of 49 or 89.7 percent total hospital personnel who tested positive in PRC turned out negative in another molecular laboratory," he said.

"Moreover in the PSG, 187 out 213 or 87.79 percent of the PSG personnel were tested positive in the PRC Manila laboratory but tested negative in their confirmatory test. Even officials of the Department of Finance have experienced the same PRC testing facilities positive today, negative the following day and day after," he added.

Duterte also ordered the government authorities to look into Senator Richard Gordon's alleged violation of the Constitution.

"In your (Gordon) term in PRC there is an audit of P86, 815,433.24 that is attributed to you. The COA (Commission on Audit) said early August of this year, SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) sent final demand for you to pay the said amount in 30 days. It has been more than 30 days Mr. Gordon, and you have not done anything," he said.

"Let me remind you that the notice of this allowance has been issued clearly and a law has been violated. Maybe a case should be filed against you. I am now asking the concerned agencies to look into this matter," said Duterte.

"The omissions mandated by the Constitution, you know, if there is bad faith you can be charged under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices," he added. DMS