President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to respond to all allegations regarding the apparent failure to secure the COVID-19 vaccine deal with Pfizer.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that Secretary Duque needs to respond to the allegations that he “dropped the ball” on the negotiations for the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Minabuti ni Presidente payuhan si Sec. Duque: answer Sec. Locsin’s allegations in the same manner he defended himself [Duque] in yesterday’s meeting,” said Secretary Roque during a press briefing.

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Earlier, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said that the Philippines missed the opportunity to secure 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer stating that someone “dropped the ball”, but did not name names in his statement.

“That said my thanks just the same to US Sec of State Mike Pompeo we—Babe Romualdez (Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose 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 said in a tweet.

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Secretary Roque stated that it’s more important to emphasize that the Philippines will still get the vaccine for COVID-19, but only at a later date.

“Let’s not speculate anymore. Ang mahalaga patuloy ang pag-uusap at mukhang makakakuha naman tayo ng Pfizer [vaccine] between 2nd and 3rd quarter of next year. I don’t think meron talagang conclusion na talagang nagkaproblema with Pfizer, kaya importanteng sagutin ni Sec. Duque ang alegasyon,” said Secretary Roque.