Duque probed for corruption
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2019 10:34:53 +0000
HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd is under investigation by the Office of the President due to corruption allegations at the Department of Health (DoH), Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said it was “Standard Operating Procedure” (SOP) in that any complaint that reaches the Chief Executive’s table would always be a subject of a serious investigation.
“I’m sure, because the President when he receives any serious allegations, he does it,” Panelo said during a chance interview on whether Duque would be investigated.
He added that “any allegation against any member of the Cabinet or against any official of the government of corruption or conflict of interest or any act illegal is always a serious concern of the Office of the President.”
“Again I will repeat what I said, when you said whiff of corruption, the President, the moment he hears that, immediately conducts [an] investigation,” the Palace official said.
Panelo’s statement came a day after Sen. Panfilo Lacson bared more corruption schemes at the DoH and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), which Duque headed.
“Embattled Secretary Francisco Duque must rid himself of conflict of interest and put the interest of the people above everybody else,” Lacson said, adding that more anomalies linked to him and his family were being uncovered at the DOH and PhilHealth.
Duque’s family has reportedly bagged government contracts to supply medicine to public hospitals and likewise reportedly entered into a leasing agreement with the PhilHealth in Pangasinan.
The Health chief had denied Lacson’s allegation and said the lease contract existed when he joined the family business.
As head of the DoH, Duque sits as the chairperson of the Philhealth board.
The Palace official said Duterte still trusted Duque despite the corruption allegations.
“As far as I know the President still trust the secretary of Health, Duque. He has responded to the questions of the issue of propriety. So if there are complaints against him, the investigation is being or will be undertaken,” Panelo said.
“And until such time that there is no finding, a definitive finding of any act, which is in violation of the law, Secretary of Health still has the trust and confidence of the President,” he added.