Duterte blasts Gordon amid “astronomical rate” of swab tests for seniors, PWDs

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night criticized Sen. Richard Gordon amid the Philippine Red Cross’ refusal to provide discounts on senior citizens and persons with disabilities who need to undergo swab tests.

“Red Cross is to be a non-profit organization. But amid on the onset of pandemic, Red Cross, under you, charged testing at astronomical rate for around 4,000 —P4,700 a piece without any discount for senior citizens or persons with disabilities,” Duterte said during his Talk to the People.

Duterte added that this is a clear violation of Expanded Senior Citizens Act.

“Pakisagot lang nito kasi it is a violation of law to deprive the senior citizens and persons with disabilities of lower prices in consideration of their present situation,” Duterte added.

According to Duterte, Gordon even threatened to stop the swab tests being conducted on returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“And ito pang isa ang ayaw ko sa iyo. At the time when we were busy testing everybody at humingi kami ng tulong sa inyo, Red Cross — Red Cross is supposed to be a humanitarian organization, but when the government was struggling to source funds, you threatened to stop testing,” he noted.