‘Nothing personal:’ Senators just want ‘competent’ health chief to fight coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate resolution seeking resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is “nothing personal” and senators just wanted someone competent to lead the government’s response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

“We cannot allow our response to the COVID-19 pandemic to continue like this. Our efforts on contact tracing and mass testing came in late, while we called our health workers to arms without the proper equipment to protect themselves,” Senator Joel Villanueva, one of the signatories in the resolution, said in a statement on Thursday.

He said public officials should empower local governments, and take strategic actions that would make the country’s response to the outbreak more efficient.

“We expect our public health leader to show everyone he has the necessary qualities to lead the response effectively because our own people’s lives are at stake here. Every decision matters. We cannot afford to be indecisive at this point,” the senator said.

“It (resolution) is what it is, nothing personal we just badly need a public health expert to lead,” he said in a separate message to reporters.

For his, minority Senator Francis Pangilinan expressed support for the resolution.

The senator said he was informed about the resolution but it was not “physically routed to us for signature.”

“On record na sa Pebrero hearing pa lang sa Senado ay pinuna na natin ang kakulangan sa aksyon ng liderato ng Department of Health ukol sa COVID. On record sa nasabing hearing na ‘failure of leadership’ ang tawag natin sa nakita natin sa naging kilos ni Duque,” Pangilinan said in a statement.

He said the health chief supposedly prioritized the interest of China when he did not immediately recommend the imposition of the travel ban on that country.

“Secretary Duque publicly opposed a total travel ban saying there were diplomatic repercussions. Inuna pa ang interes ng China kaysa sa kaligtasan ng mga Pilipino,” the senator said.

Pangilinan also said that Duque “revealed his incompetence” during a Senate hearing on the government’s COVID-19 response in February when he appeared unaware that only 17 percent contact tracing of the first confirmed COVID-19 positive patient has been executed.

“Naghugas ng kamay. Mahigit dalawang buwan na ang nakalipas, pero wala pa rin kaming nakitang pagbabago sa makupad at malabong pagpapatupad ng mga anti-COVID effort,” the senator said.

“Napigilan sana ang pagkalat ng COVID. Nagawan sana ng paraan ang kawalan ng PPEs (personal protective equipment) sa mga ospital. Napigilan ang pagkamatay ng ating mga kababayan at mga magigiting na frontliner,” he added.

Pangilinan believes that until now, the government’s contact tracing efforts, travel restrictions, and mass testing have yet to be polished.

“Kailangan ng malinaw at totoong datos para malabanan ang sakit,” he said.

“Matagal-tagal nang may State of National Emergency. Kailangan ng malinaw na pagtingin sa problema, mabilis na desisyon, at mas mabilis na aksyon. Sinuman ang papalit sa kanya ay dapat may ganitong mga qualification,” the senator added.

Pangilinan said former Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit, who headed the DOH during the SARS crisis in 2003; former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral; or Philippine General Hospital Director Gerardo Legaspi would be good replacements if Duque resigns.

“Mas mabuti kung may experience na sa burukrasya dahil sa emergency situation,” he told INQUIRER.net in a text message.

For his part, Senator Panfilo Lacson said it would be Duque’s call if he would heed to the appeal of the senators.

“The resolution does not involve the President. It is virtually an appeal – demand if you will, to Sec. Duque to resign and the reasons are stated in the resolution. It is his call,” Lacson said in a statement.

“We are simply for a competent Secretary of Health. Take note: not more competent, but simply a competent one at the helm,” he added.

According to Lacson, the senators who filed the resolution agreed not to recommend any replacement.

“In case Sec. Duque quits, it is all up to the President being the appointing authority,” he said.

But the President has already spoken and said Duque would remain as DOH chief.

“The President has made a decision for Health Secretary Duque to stay put,” Executive Secretary Medialdea told reporters in a message.

“He also expressed his appreciation for the Senators’ gesture in [allowing him] to weigh his options on the performance [of] his SOH,” he added.