Roque says he hasn’t heard of people eyeing Duque’s post

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday he has no information whether there are individuals eyeing the position of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who is under investigation over issues connected to his department’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

Roque gave the statement after Senator Richard Gordon said on Sunday that it appeared that some people wanted Duque’s post.

“Ang problema lang natin dito, kapag may mga ganyan [na imbestigasyon], mukhang may mga umaasinta sa puwesto. Lalo na ngayon, maraming pera ang Department of Health (DOH), marami ring pera ang PhilHealth, kaya siguro sinusundut-sundot ng iba ‘yan. ‘Yan lang naman ang haka-haka ko,” Gorodn said.

“Merong mga issues definitely. Nobody is perfect. Pero sa tingin ko, kapag ginagawa ‘yan, usually merong umaasinta doon sa position,” the senator added.

But Roque maintained there is no such talk.

“Wala naman akong nalalaman na nag-aaspire to be Secretary of Health ngayong panahon na ito dahil ito po 'yung pinakamahirap na trabaho sa panahon ng COVID. Kahit gaano ka ka-ambisyoso, napakahirap namang ambisyunan ang ganyang kahirap na trabaho,” the Palace official said in a televised briefing.

Gordon refused to provide more details about what he knows, but he maintained that replacing Duque in the middle of a health crisis would do more harm than good.

Duque and other Department of Health officials are facing an investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman on the supposed lapses and irregularities in the agency’s COVID-19 response.

Covered by the investigation are the purchase of COVID-19 test kits, delayed procurement of personal protective equipment and other medical gears for healthcare workers, alleged lapses that led to the death of medical workers and the rising number of deaths and infections involving medical frontliners.

The Ombudsman also included the inaction in the release of financial assistance to fallen and infected medical frontliners and the delayed reporting of COVID-19 related deaths and confirmed cases.

Last week, Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte expressed confidence that Duque will be able to respond to the allegations. — RSJ, GMA News