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Senator Panfilo Lacson. File photo / Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte “virtually” acquitted Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III of any wrongdoing in alleged anomalies at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) after the former refused to fire his boss. Designated health, said Senator Panfilo Lacson.
“With his designated chief investigator on his right and one of the defendants in the PhilHealth mess on his left, he acquitted the defendant of any wrongdoing. End of story, ”Lacson said in a tweet Tuesday.
The “investigator” he was referring to is the Secretary of Justice Menardo Guevarra, who is leading an investigation by a high-level task force on alleged corruption at the state insurer.
During his public address to the nation, Duterte said it was not yet time for Duque to step down amid fresh calls for him to step down following allegations linking him to the allegedly questionable release of PhilHealth funds through the Refund Mechanism. Provisional (IRM) of the agency.
In the same vein, Guevarra said the Justice Department-led task force will present its suggestions to the president early next week, including possible cases against PhilHealth officials allegedly involved in the corruption scandal that broke out last July.
When asked if he thinks the president’s pronouncement expressing continued confidence in Duque could affect the task force’s investigation, Lacson told INQUIRER.net in a text message: “I certainly hope not.”
“I would like to think that Sec Guevarra’s known probity and his firm adherence to the rule of law will prevail over partisanship and other political or personal considerations,” he added.
Lacson, however, clarified that he is not prejudging Duque’s criminal responsibility based solely on the Senate hearings.
Still, the senator pointed to the secretary of health’s alleged conflict of interest in allowing his family corporation “to do business directly with PhilHealth and DOH (Department of Health) by renting out his property and supplying pharmaceutical products to the agencies he directs.”
Lacson was referring to the Duque family business contract to lease its building in the city of Dagupan, Pangasinan province, to house PhilHealth’s regional office in Ilocos.
As secretary of health, Duque serves as ex-officio president of PhilHealth, an agency attached to the Department of Health.
Several DOH government contracts with a pharmaceutical company owned by the Duque family also came to light last year.
Lacson said this “was indisputably reason enough for a decent public official to resign, or for a nominating authority to take the most appropriate action.”
“Only in the Philippines!” added.
But Duque has since denied any wrongdoing and maintained that he disposed of all his interests in his companies when he took office in October 2017.
Raps vs Duque
Last week, the Senate Committee of the Whole recommended the filing of misconduct and corruption charges against Duque and several other officials for the “illegal” release of IRM funds.
The Senate panel also asked Duterte to replace Duque and appoint a new health secretary “who has a stronger will to fight corruption.”
Duque has previously dismissed the Senate committee report as “unsubstantiated findings.”
According to Lacson, the executive department is not bound by the Senate’s findings “regardless of the individual alliances of the majority of its members with the president.”
“While the newly adopted Committee of the Whole report contains recommendations involving the filing of charges against various PhilHealth officials, including its chairman, who is Secretary Duque, it is worth noting how the working group led by the Department of Justice will treat these findings and recommendations now that the president has practically acquitted Duque of any crime, “added the senator.
JPV
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