Palace says probe of Duque to proceed despite Duterte's words

President Rodrigo Duterte’s continued support for embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III will not influence the investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman on the alleged irregularities in the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Duterte’s spokesperson Harry Roque said the President acknowledged the independence of the Ombudsman, the anti-graft body headed by former Supreme Court Justice Samuel Martires. It was Duterte who appointed Martires to the SC and Ombudsman.

“Tuloy pa rin ang imbestigasyon,” Roque said in a televised briefing.

“Ombudsman Martires is a criminal lawyer, a former RTC Judge, CA Justice, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, hindi po iyan matitinag. Alam po niya ang batas niya, titingnan lang niya kung mayroong nalabag na batas kung hindi man ang Anti-Graft Law then titingnan niya ang Salonga Law on Code of Conduct for Public Officers.”

Martires earlier ordered an investigation on Duque and other Department of Health officials over issues linked to the procurement of personal protective equipment for health workers and test kits as well as the delayed release of financial assistance to deceased and infected medical frontliners.

Duterte on Monday vouched for Duque’s integrity, saying the Health chief is rich and would never engage in corruption. The President even placed his reputation at stake in defense of Duque. -NB, GMA News