Año: ‘We have to support Duque’

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday threw his support for Health Secretary Francisco Duque III despite the corruption allegations hounding the Department of Health (DOH).

“The President has already expressed his support to Secretary Duque and being a colleague of Secretary Duque, I have seen him working every day. He is still a very hard worker,” Año, vice chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), said over ANC when asked about the support of President Rodrigo Duterte for Duque despite the alleged anomalies in the DOH.

“I also expressed my support to Secretary Duque. Nakita ko kung gaano siya ka-seryoso. Na-overwhelm lang talaga sa dami ng trabaho, ng issue and managing this crisis is very very hard. It is taking a toll on everyone but for this time I believe we have to support Secretary Duque,” he added.

(I also expressed my support to Secretary Duque. I saw how serious he is. He was just overwhelmed with all the work with all the issues and managing this crisis is very very hard. It is taking a toll on everyone but for this time I believe we have to support Secretary Duque.)

On Wednesday, Ombudsman Samuel Martires ordered a probe on Duque and other officials of the Philippine health department over alleged irregularities in the agency’s efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The investigation was launched after evaluating initial reports on the purchase of 100,000 test kits by the Department of Health and news reports on using the test kits invented by the University of the Philippines.

The probe will also focus on the supposed inaction in the release and processing of benefits and cash aid for medical workers who contracted the coronavirus disease and those who have died of the disease.

/MUF