Manning presents evidence

POLICE commissioner David Manning has told a coroner’s inquiry into deaths allegedly caused by a batch of the anesthetic drug propofol used last year at the Port Moresby General Hospital, that he had no direct involvement with the procurement process of the drug.
Manning said in his role as the Coronavirus pandemic controller he had only carried out duties pursuant to section 7 of the National Pandemic Act (2020) and had “no idea about procurement process involved in the propofol”.
“I was made aware of the death of late Rex Wanzing through the daily papers,” Manning said.
Manning said even though section 53 of the National Pandemic Act gave him the power as the pandemic controller to be involved in the procurement process, he had not been directly involved in it. “I had no direct involvement with the procurement process, but I only performed my duties as per the advice from the technical advisory committee,” he said.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Josephine Kilage told Manning that if the inquiry needed more evidence, he would be called in again to testify.
Former Chief Justice Sir Arnold Amet asked Manning if he was aware that United Nations Office for Project Services and Health Department officers were involved in the procurement process of the propofol batch and other Coronavirus (Covid-19) medications.
Manning said he only received advice from the technical advisory committees concerning the Covid-19 responses and was not aware of the procurement of the propofol.