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President Rodrigo Duterte has endorsed Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd, telling him that he should not resign despite calls from the Senate that he should be charged in connection with the alleged rampant corruption at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) .
On Monday night, the president said he fully trusts Duque.
“Secretary Duque, this is not the time for you to resign,” Duterte told the head of Health in his public speech. “I have full confidence in you,” he added.
The Secretary of the Department of Health (DoH) thanked Duterte for his continued confidence.
However, he expressed frustration at the recommendation of the Senate Committee of the Whole that he should be indicted along with other PhilHealth officials for the systemic anomalies at PhilHealth.
“I have to express my frustration sir, I hope you don’t mind. E iyon ngang mga pumirma e ni hindi man sila ni-recommended e. ‘Yung mga pumirma, Hindi ni-recommends for the presentation of cases (the people who signed, were not among those recommended to be charged), ”he said, referring to PhilHealth officials who allowed the implementation of the interim reimbursement mechanism ( MRI).
As secretary of health, Duque sits as president of PhilHealth.
“That hurts sir, those who have not signed yet are the ones involved, forced to get involved. That, sir, is what I cannot accept on my chest. I can’t sleep because of this (It hurts. I didn’t sign and yet they drag me and they implicate me. It’s hard for me to accept it. I’ve lost sleep because of this, sir), “the DoH chief told Duterte.
Last week, in his opening statement in the House investigation into alleged corruption at PhilHealth, Duque said the Senate “made unsubstantiated conclusions on mere allegations.”
“I was implemented in the RIM when it was not even part of the deliberation and I did not sign the resolution,” he told lawmakers.
The president of the Senate, Vicente Sotto 3rd, released the report of the Committee of the Whole (CoW) last week. On Tuesday he expressed his hope that the president would read the Senate report on Duque’s alleged responsibility.
Senators on Monday adopted the CoW report that included a recommendation to replace Duque.
‘Talk to us’
“The president should talk to us and not just listen to the excuses [of Duque]. Better yet, ES (Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea) should ask the President to read the Senate report, ”Sotto said in a text message.
He also used Twitter to express his sentiment. “The board governs PhilHealth. They disburse P14.8 billion in three months of pandemic illegally. [The] DoH Secretary is unmistakable and irreplaceable the president [of PhilHealth]. Ano, wala s’ya kinalaman (What, he wasn’t involved)? Aba … (wow) congratulations! Thousands of millions !!! ” public.
The head of the Senate added: “Perhaps the president is not aware of the facts. All those who have knowledge of the illegal transactions are responsible according to article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, whether they have signed or not. Even more so if he is the president of the Board that governs the agency. “
Senator Panfilo Lacson said the executive, being an independent and separate branch of government, is not bound by the Senate’s findings.
When asked if Duterte’s pronouncement defending Duque could affect the Department of Justice (DoJ) investigation, Lacson said: “I certainly hope not.”
“I would like to think that [Justice] Secretary [Menardo] Guevarra’s known probity and his firm adherence to the rule of law will prevail over partisanship and other political or personal considerations, ”he said.
“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 those findings and recommendations now that the president has practically cleared Duque of any wrongdoing, ”Lacson said.
“I hope the DOJ-led task force investigating PhilHealth anomalies will continue to serve its mandate, guided only by its appreciation of the evidence no matter who is involved, with or without the president’s expressed opinion on Sec Duque. ”, He added.
Senator Ana Theresia Hontiveros said the president should take a moment to read the CoW report on Duque’s responsibilities.
“It makes no sense that Duque, an Anglo-Saxon from institutional memory, having worked at the agency in different capacities for 19 years, remains unharmed,” he said.
“All the alleged cases of corruption happened right under his nose for two decades. Either he is complicit or incompetent. Either way, he must be held accountable, ”he added. “If we want to clean up PhilHealth we have to go after the big shot, the major backers who continue to profit from systemic corruption within the agency.”
Senator Francis Pangilinan also urged Malacañang to heed the Senate’s call and replace
Duque as president of the Inter-Institutional Working Group for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
“It is a damaged product and he cannot hope to be able to effectively lead the country’s already wavering anti-Covid (coronavirus) campaign.”
“Malacañang needs to show decisive leadership and political will by firing Duque and modernizing the IATF. Our Senate Resolution 474, which forms the basis of hearings on PhilHealth, sought to hold officials, especially the so-called big shot, accountable. Updating this recommendation is a step in this direction, ”said Pangilinan. “It is time to fix what is broken and the first step is to eliminate those who have failed miserably to stop the spread of disease and massive corruption in the health care system.”
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