Duterte still trusts Duque despite new allegations —Palace

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said Wednesday, despite allegations linking the Cabinet official to the supposed anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“He does because if he has ceased to have trust and confidence then Secretary Duque would no longer be in office,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines in an interview.

Roque also maintained that all Cabinet members serve at the pleasure of the President.

When told about Duterte’s vow not to tolerate even just a "whiff" of corruption, Roque said everyone has a right to due process. Roque pointed to Duterte’s creation of a task force that is investigating the corruption allegations hounding PhilHealth.

Duque is also facing allegations of incompetence in the handling of the Philippines' COVID-19 response. He rejected calls from senators for him to resign.

Former PhilHealth anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith claimed in a Senate hearing on Tuesday that Duque is the “godfather” of top PhilHealth officials allegedly involved in corruption. Keith said it was Duque who approved the appointments of the officials belonging to the so-called “mafia” in PhilHealth.

Duque immediately dismissed the allegations as “absolutely malicious” and “without basis.”

The Health chief also denied the allegation that the enrollment of five million Filipinos to PhilHealth during his tenure as the agency’s president was used to boost the candidacy of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against popular opposition standard bearer Fernando Poe Jr. in the 2004 national elections.

Arroyo was officially declared the winner of the election but critics accused her of cheating. —KBK, GMA News