Makabayan Bloc seeks probe into DOH use of COVID-19 funds

The House Makabayan Bloc on Monday formally sought investigation into the supposed "grave inefficiency" and "criminal negligence" of the Department of Health in managing the funds amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In filing House Resolution 2129, the progressive lawmakers urged the House committees on Good Government and Public Accountability as well as of Public Accounts to look into the "grave inefficiency, gross incompetence and criminal negligence" of the DOH in handling the budget.

The bloc filed the resolution after the Commission on Audit flagged DOH over its reported deficiencies in the utilization of the P67.32-billion COVID-19 funds.

"Amid this COVID-19 pandemic, the government, especially the DOH, are expected to efficiently allocate and use the limited resources in the pursuit of ending the health crisis," the Makabayan lawmakers said.

"The inefficiency, delay, and the incompetence in the delivery of the much-needed services to the public already amount to criminal negligence as thousands of Filipinos already died and are dying of getting infected of the viral disease," they added.

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said over the weekend that state auditors are expected to brief House lawmakers regarding the alleged deficiencies of the DOH in utilizing the COVID-19 funds.

Velasco said the briefing is scheduled this week.

The DOH, for its part, said the funds are accounted for, and that it is currently addressing the compliance issues and deficiencies reported by COA.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also denied that there was corruption within the agency.

COA, for its part, said it never mentioned in its 2020 audit report that corruption attended the DOH's use of COVID-19 pandemic budget.

In a statement last week, COA said the audit process for flagged deficiencies had yet to be completed.

“The report itself does not mention any findings by the auditors of funds lost to corruption,” it said.  —KBK, GMA News