Duque's brother is new Philippine Coconut Authority chief

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Gonzalo Duque, the brother of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, as administrator of the Philippine Coconut Authority, Malacañang said.

Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed the appointment of Gonzalo Duque, who told GMA News Online that he took his oath before Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Monday morning.

Gonzalo Duque had been serving as Social Security System (SSS) commissioner prior to his appointment.

Duterte earlier considered former Philippine Air Force commanding general Lieutenant General Galileo Kintanar Jr. for the post.

Panelo said Gonzalo Duque’s professional career “has been devoted to public service,” citing the latter’s previous stints as Pangasinan vice governor, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration deputy administrator and educator.

“With his credentials, we expect a man of competence and integrity in the likes of Mr. Duque to champion the cause of the Filipino coconut farmers,” the Palace official said in a statement.

The new PCA administrator said he presumed that Duterte’s marching order would be to fight corruption in the government.

“Same marching order for every public official. No corruption and no relatives in influence peddling deals,” he said.

Early this month, the parents of the children who died after being vaccinated with anti-dengue Dengavaxia vaccine amended the June 21 plunder complaint they filed against Health Secretary Duque to include Gonzalo Duque.

The charges had to do with the brothers’ alleged conflict of interest and siphoning of public funds from the contract that Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) entered into with the Educational and Medical Development Corp. (EDMC) where the brothers own a substantial amount of shares.

In a joint supplemental complaint affidavit filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, the complainants argued that Gonzalo Duque "has conspired with respondent Dr. Duque to amass, acquire or accumulate ill-gotten wealth."

Gonzalo was a substantial stockholder and officer of EDMC as president from 2000 to 2006; president/secretary from 2008 to 2010; president from 2011 to 2014 and chancellor from 2015 to 2018.

The complainants are accusing the Duque brothers of profiting from a lease contract that PhilHealth entered with EMDC: a 2,051.40-square-meter building which will serve as PhilHealth’s regional office for Region 1, which they claim is worth P529,261.20 a month.

As Health chief, Franciso Duque sits as the chairperson of the Philhealth board. He has since belied the allegations raised in the complaint. —KBK, GMA News