Iloilo City mayor joins call for Duque to resign

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has joined calls for the resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III amid the continued increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

"I think it is time for him to accept responsibility and voluntarily resign for the sake of the country," Treñas said in his speech during the flag-raising ceremony at the city hall on Monday morning.

Treñas also said the Department of Health (DOH) "has not done correct decisions since the start of this pandemic in the Philippines."

He noted that despite the country having the "longest lockdown," COVID-19 cases continue to spike.

Treñas also questioned the DOH's move to send rural doctors from Iloilo City to Cebu City, the only city in the Philippines under enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19.

"I do not really know if that is a correct decision and I do not want to make a decision on this because that is already beyond my sphere of responsibility," he said.

In the same speech, Treñas said some doctors from a hospital in Iloilo City have recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Duque and other DOH 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.

Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed confidence that Duque will be able to respond to the allegations.

Duque and the DOH said they are ready to face the investigation. —KBK, GMA News