Duque confident he can clear his name amid Ombudsman probe

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is confident that he can clear his name amid the Office of the Ombudsman’s ongoing probe into him and the Department of Health over their alleged failure in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duque made the comments almost a week after Ombudsman Samuel Martires said that his office's investigators are expected to finish their probe next month, and that the DOH has been stonewalling them.

“All I can say is that I will cooperate with any investigating body to ferret out the truth. I will clear my name,” Duque told GMA News Online.

“I am confident that the Ombudsman is a fair disciplining body in taking consideration of pieces of evidence that will support or disprove whatever allegations being raised against me. Let us leave it at that,” he added.

The Ombudsman is probing Duque and DOH on the following issues:

• purchase of 100,000 COVID-19 test kits
• delayed procurement of Personal Protective Equipment and other medical gears necessary for the protection of healthcare workers

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• alleged lapses and irregularities that led to the death of medical workers
• rising number of deaths and infected medical frontliners
• inaction in the release processing of benefits and financial assistance of “fallen” and infected medical frontliners; and
• confusing and delayed reporting of COVID-19 related deaths and confirmed cases

The Ombudsman's probe was initiated by the office itself in accordance with its mandate allowing the office to launch a probe on its own even without receiving a complaint.

Pending the Ombudsman’s findings, President Rodrigo Duterte has already repeatedly vouched for Duque’s integrity.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, for her part, has also described Duque as very steadfast in doing his job as Health Secretary and chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force—the policy making body of the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vergeire also said that it would be difficult for the country to replace Duque at this point amid the battle against COVID-19 pandemic. — BM, GMA News