Duque: DOH budget utilization reports submitted to Pacquiao

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said the Department of Health (DOH) has submitted its budget utilization reports to Senator Manny Pacquiao following the lawmaker’s corruption allegations against the agency.

“Lahat ng mga report na ito, pinadala ko na kagabi kay (I sent all these reports last night to) Senator Manny Pacquiao,” he said in an interview on ANC.

Duque said that out of the P45.7 billion that the DOH received from the Budget Department under Bayanihan 1, 98% or P44.7 billion was obligated, 93% or P41.8 billion of which was disbursed, leaving a balance of P975 million.

He added that out of the P17.3 billion the DOH received under Bayanihan 2, 87% or P15 billion was obligated, 71% or P10.67 billion of which was disbursed, leaving a balance of P2.2 billion.

The health chief also stressed that it was not the DOH but the procurement arm of the Budget Department that purchased face masks, RT-PCR test kits, and personal protective equipment.

“I talked to [Budget] Undersecretary Lloyd Lao the other night and he said he’s ready to also show the budget utilization and that all transactions are aboveboard,” he said.

Duque added that there is “zero way that a kickback can go through” vaccine loans as the funds went straight to manufacturers and never fell into the hands of the DOH.

Duque earlier said the DOH was prepared to submit a budget utilization report to Pacquiao and cooperate with any corruption probe. 

The senator pointed to the DOH when dared by President Rodrigo Duterte to prove that there is corruption within the government. 

Both Duque and presidential spokesman Harry Roque questioned why Pacquiao only decided to accuse the DOH of corruption only now instead of asking questions during a marathon Senate hearing in mid-June. 

The government’s anti-corruption task force also said it has yet to receive complaints on irregularities within the DOH. — Julia Mari Ornedo/RSJ, GMA News