Duque on President Duterte's trust: Walang katumbas

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is overjoyed over the pronouncements of President Rodrigo Duterte vouching for his integrity amid ouster calls against the Health chief, saying it shows that the President’s trust in him is ironclad.

“Ako ay natutuwa na pinabulaanan niya. Iyong tiwala ni Pangulo, parang iyong kasabihan na I would take a bullet for this guy,” Duque said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

“Iyong tiwala niya, walang katumbas. Iyong appreciation niya sa ginagawa namin,” Duque added.

Duque, in his capacity as Health Secretary, chairs the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases which formulates policy on the government’s anti-COVID-19 response. The IATF is composed of at least 36 government agencies. 

Likewise, Duque downplayed the call for him to resign due to failure to lead amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Iyong panawagan na iyon, maraming nagsasabi sa akin na kasama sa asosasyon na iyon na hindi naman nila alam iyong sulat na iyon,” Duque said. 

“Hindi rin naman sa akin dapat naka-address iyon kasi iyong reimbursement galing sa PhilHealth, management action and decision iyon ng PhilHealth, hindi ng chairman of the board [ng Philhealth],” Duque said. 

Duque, as Health Secretary, sits as the chairman of the PhilHeath board.

“Policy formulation ang sa akin [as Health Chief],” Duque added.

The Philippines has recorded 14,669 COVID-19 cases thus far. Of this number, 3,412 recovered while 886 have died.

On May 26, the Philippines also registered 350 new COVID-19 cases, the highest number of recorded COVID-19 cases in a day since April 6.

Researchers from University of the Philippines - Diliman, however, said that over 7,000 COVID-19 cases found positive by at least 36 testing laboratories in the country have yet to be reported by the Department of Health. —Llanesca T. Panti/KG, GMA News