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Duterte didn’t scold Duque over remarks on flattening of COVID-19 curve — Palace
By VIRGIL LOPEZ,GMA NewsPresident Rodrigo Duterte did not reprimand Health Secretary Francisco Duque III after the latter mistakenly claimed that the Philippines had started flattening the curve of COVID-19 cases in April.
"Wala pong pagsabon na nangyari,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing Thursday.
Duque has been criticized after he announced during an online media forum on Wednesday that the Philippines had “successfully flattened” the curve
due to longer case and mortality doubling time, only to clarify later that what he meant was “bent.”According to Roque, the Health chief talked to him over the phone to explain what happened.
"Matapos nangyari iyan, tumawag kaagad sa akin si Secretary Duque at sinabi nga niya na parang mali ‘yung salitang nagamit niya, sabi ko korekin lang natin," Roque said.
"Kinorek lang po. Di naman na-flatten, nabali at ang ibig sabihin niya, mukha talagang kumonti ang kaso matapos tayo magkaroon ng ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] at MECQ [modified ECQ].”
Reacting to Duque’s latest error, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said he reminded the Cabinet official to be more circumspect in making such pronouncements.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III quipped that Duque may be referring to people who gained weight during the community quarantine. — RSJ, GMA News
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“Baka fatten the curve ang ibig niyang sabihin. Daming tumaba,” Sotto said.
Duque also faced criticism in May after he claimed that the Philippines was already on its second wave of COVID-19 infections, considering the first three imported cases as the first wave.
He later said that the country is still on the “first major wave of sustained community transmission.”
Duque’s competence and credibility have been repeatedly questioned by several senators due to his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Duterte, however, stood by Duque despite calls to replace him. (Virgil Lopez)