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- He said that it was “interesting” how Duque is silent about the matter when he’s also an Ex-Officio Chairman of the agency.
- Netizens also noticed the Health secretary’s silence on the issue.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III found Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s silence about the PhilHealth issue “interesting.”
During an online interview, Sotto pointed out that as the Health Secretary, it’s quite questionable that he has not commented on the matter.
Duque was also the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“Siguro he believes in the saying na ‘less talk, less mistakes,’ He is definitely silent… It’s quite interesting na bakit wala siyang comment. ‘Di ba? Sa Tagalog ‘yan, nakakapagtaka,” Sotto stated.
The senate president added that Duque should have shown concern with the matter instead of ignoring it completely.
“Dapat ‘yan mayroon kang concern or statement… Nakapagtataka na hindi siya nagko-comment.”
Sotto even said that the Health Secretary is not exactly on the official guest list for the Senate hearing on August 11 but he is definitely welcome to join to give his input.
“If we have to extend then we will invite Secretary Duque but, you know, it’s an open invitation to him. Kung gusto niya umattend bukas para ika nga ma-moitor niya ang nangyayari or baka [makapagbigay] siya ng pananaw niya sa nangyayari diyan.”
He added that it’s better if Duque will attend as he’s currently the head of DOH.
“Maganda sana kung basta dumating na lang siya, hindi naman kailangan ng imbitasyon, Secretary of Health siya eh.”
Netizens also took notice of the secretary’s silence about the corruption scandal as they called him out on social media platforms.
https://twitter.com/shamrocker_oo_/status/1291645738141847552
They also slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for not firing those who are involved in disappointing matters in the government.
Duterte won't fire Duque after botched DOH response
Duterte won't fire Sinas after the Mananita scandal
Now Duterte won't fire Morales after Philhealth corruption"a whiff of corruption, and you're out" my ass
— ⚜️ Austin Salameda ⚜️ (@sopib0y) August 5, 2020
A netizen also listed some of the issues that rose since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Philippines.
https://twitter.com/SheisAengel/status/1291231924594397187
Three weeks ago, Duque stated that he will look into the corruption allegations in PhilHealth.
“We will wait for PhilHealth to issue their statement pero kapag ganito naman, the Secretary of Health, being the chair of the Board, he sits down with the officials para maiayos niya ang issues among them so that ‘di na lumaki ang issue na ito,” DOH undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated.
