Palace shoots down leadership change amid surge in COVID-19 cases

There is no need for leadership change while the country is facing the COVID-19 pandemic, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday, amid fresh barb from Senator Panfilo Lacson.

“It is contrary to the basics of medicine to change leadership in the middle of the pandemic. I don't think we'll achieve anything by that,” Roque said during the Palace briefing.

“Basic principle na 'pag may pandemya, ibigay muna ang kinakailangan at huwag munang pag-usapan ang liderato,” he added.

(The basic principle during a pandemic is to provide for the most urgent needs first. Discussions on leadership can be shelved.)

Roque was responding to the query if leadership change was ever considered now that the country’s active COVID-19 cases has ballooned to over 135,000.

In a tweet, Lacson said the significant increase in COVID-19 cases makes it feel like there is no one in charge

Lacson did not mention any names, but he is a known critic of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The Philippines has 135,526 active COVID-19 cases as of April 4. Of this number, 11,028 were recorded on April 4 alone.

Based on Department of Health records, 58,331 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Metro Manila in the last two weeks.

Metro Manila and adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal are under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) — a protocol which bans non-essential trips and non-essential businesses and services from operating — from March 29 to April 11 amid the surge of COVID-19 cases.

Roque said the government’s COVID-19 response does not depend on one person alone.

“We have a whole-of-government approach,” he said. —KBK, GMA News