Charles Teves
The Department of Health (DOH) announced its support for its secretary Francisco Duque III amid the Ombudsman’s ongoing investigation into the department’s possible peculiarities in relation to the COVID-19 crisis in the country.
DOH Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said that Duque does not need to resign.
“Sana naiintindihan po ng mga tao, kaya po nakakayanan ng mga undersecretaries ang aming trabaho dahil meron po kaming leader na katulad ni Secretary Duque. So napakaimportante po ng isang leader sa isang organisasyon. Kahit po nakaupo lang siya dyan pero kung siya po ay nirerespeto at siya ay nakakapagbigay ng kumpiyansa… So we have our full support to the secretary and we still think that he should be retained dito po sa kaniyang posisyon,” Vergeire said in a press briefing.
The Office of the Ombudsman has yet to give a formal communication in connection to the investigation. However, the DOH and along with Duque are prepared in the event an investigation does happen.
“Yung morale talaga ay bumaba dahil syempre nakikita natin na talaga namang nagtatrabaho ang ating mga kawani tapos ito nga merong ganito,” she said.
Vergeire just hopes that this issue won’t ruin the efforts put in by the department in fighting the coronavirus, let alone split the team.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Ombudsman confirmed it will be sending subpoenas to the Department of Health and the Department of Budget and Management to track the disbursement of funds for the government’s COVID-19 response.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires said: “Yes DOH and DBM,” as he confirmed the report.
Martires told CNN Philippines that his office sending subpoenas to Health Secretary Duque and Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to seek documents along with the Ombudsman’s probe on alleged lapses in the DOH COVID-19 response.
Avisado claimed earlier that as of May 28,2 P353.8 billion in funds have been released to various government agencies to fight problems brought about by the coronavirus, while around P200 billion was allocated for cash aid to millions of poor Filipino families significantly affected by the lockdowns.
Martires recently said that the Ombudsman will be digging deeper into the DOH’s response to the crisis which also involves Duque and various officials. This was also after these officials gave the Ombudsman investigators the “runaround” after they initiated an inquiry into the purchase of COVID-19 test kits even before the lockdown in mid-March.
Among issues to be covered in the wider investigation are:
- delays in the procurement of personal protective equipment and other medical gear for health workers
- “alleged lapses and irregularities” that caused deaths among health workers
- delays in the processing and release of benefits for medical workers who died or got severely ill due to COVID-19
- the “confusing and delayed reporting” of coronavirus cases and deaths.
On Thursday, Martires called on an unnamed health official to “shut up and just cooperate.”
