Duterte‘s COVID-19 plan rings hollow if Duque stays — Kiko Pangilinan

Opposition Senator Francisco "Kiko" Pangilinan on Friday said he would not take President Rodrigo Duterte's COVID-19 recovery plans seriously unless Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is axed.

"Before we even begin to take the President's plan seriously, he should fire Duque. His proposals to address COVID rings hollow and empty when he condones incompetence and corruption," Pangilinan said in a message.

He also claimed that authorities in charge of addressing the pandemic have "miserably failed" to stop the spread of the virus for allegedly missing their targets for mass testing and contact tracing.

Pangilinan voted against the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act in the Senate on Tuesday because Duque has not relinquished his post yet as DOH chief and chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The senator said he cannot entrust more funds to the DOH under the "mediocre" leadership of Duque.

In April, several senators sought Duque's resignation over his alleged "failure of leadership." The Cabinet official, however, did not yield his post.

Duterte has also repeatedly expressed trust in Duque's integrity despite several blunders and corruption allegations in the health sector amid the pandemic.

'Back to normal'

Earlier in the day, Duterte said the Philippines will be back to normal by December because a COVID-19 vaccine from China will be available soon.

The President said he will task the military to be in charge of implementing the government's free coronavirus immunization program for 20 million poorest Filipinos.

Duterte stressed that drug pushers would not be given COVID-19 shots but the communist rebels have a chance if they "stop fighting."

The general community quarantine (GCQ) over Metro Manila was retained until August 15.

Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Minglanilla and Consolacion towns in Cebu province, and Zamboanga City will also be under GCQ.

The rest of the Philippines will be under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News