Duque, other DOH execs skip Senate probe into COVID-19 fund use

Published October 19, 2021 11:54 AM By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and other Health officials skipped Tuesday the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon committee's inquiry into the DOH's use of its COVID-19 fund and procurement of some supplies in 2020.

In a letter addressed to panel chairman Senator Richard Gordon, Duque said they have been directed by President Rodrigo Duterte to “give way to equally important COVID-19 response activities," citing the memorandum issued by the Chief Executive on October 4.

This is the second time the Health officials did not attend the hearing.

"The memorandum order of the President remains in effect, yet we give our firm assurances that we will continue to cooperate with the Committee and commit to submit any and all documents that may aid the good Committee over the course of their investigations in aid of legislation," Duque said.

         Duterte had required   

       Cabinet members to get a clearance from him first before they can attend the Senate investigation into the government's purchase of allegedly overpriced pandemic-related supplies.

The President said he is not questioning the authority and the power of the Senate to investigate in aid of legislation.

However, he claimed that some resource persons, especially those coming from the Executive department, attended the hearings for hours but were not given a chance to give their testimonies.

Last week, Duque said he "agrees" that the executive department should not block the testimonies of Cabinet members in the Senate probe.

He suggested a reasonable adjustment so that Cabinet members can attend the hearings and, at the same time, do their jobs in responding to the pandemic.

Over 40 health organizations and at least four former Department of Health secretaries have called on President Duterte to allow the Senate to proceed with its investigation.

“We call for transparency, exigency and accountability. In particular, we call on the president not to obstruct the testimony of material witnesses to any investigation,” they said in a joint statement.

The House of Representatives also conducted a separate inquiry into the issue, to which Duterte admits he favored compared to the Senate probe.

Duterte maintained that there was no corruption in the government's procurement of COVID-19 supplies.—AOL, GMA News
 

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