Duque: Pacquiao ’misinformed’ on alleged corruption in DOH

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III thinks Senator Manny Pacquiao is “misinformed” about his accusations of corruption in the Department of Health (DOH).

Duque said Wednesday the DOH is ready to show its budget utilization reports on the funds it spent under the Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws and the 2021 national budget.

“Salamat sa pagkakataon na makapagpaliwanag patungkol sa mga bumabagang issues na nilabas ni Senator Manny Pacquiao na tingin ko misinformed,” he said in an interview over ABS CBN’s TeleRadyo.

(Thank you for giving me the chance to explain the issues bared by Senator Manny Pacquiao, who, I think, is misinformed.)

“’Yung kanyang sinabi sa pahayagan, kung titingnan mo naman, tinatanong niya handa na ba ipakita kung paano ginastos ng DOH ‘yung Bayanihan 1, Bayanihan 2 and part of the GAA (General Appropriations Act) budget for our COVID-19 response kasama ang vaccination program. Handang handa po kami,” he added

(What he said was if we are ready to show how the DOH used funds under Bayanihan 1, 2, and GAA for our COVID-19 response including the vaccination program. We are ready.)

Pacquiao earlier mentioned the Department of Health (DOH) when he accepted the challenge of President Rodrigo Duterte to identify corrupt agencies in his administration.

Duterte earlier dared Pacquiao to identify the corrupt agencies of the government. Should Pacquiao be unable to name these corrupt agencies, Duterte said he will tell people not to vote for Pacquiao in the 2022 national elections.

READ: Pacquiao accepts Duterte dare, names Duque-led DOH

READ: Duterte to Pacquiao: Name corrupt agencies or I’ll campaign against you

“Magsimula tayo sa DOH. Silipin at busisiin natin lahat ng mga binili mula sa rapid test kits, PPE (personal protective equipment), masks at iba pa,” the senator said

(Let’s start with the DOH. Let’s take a look and scrutinize all the rapid test kits, the PPE sets, masks, and other items it procured.)

“Handa ka ba Sec. Francisco Duque na ipakita ang kabuuan ng iyong ginagastos? Saan napunta ang pera na inutang natin para sa pandemya?” he added.

(Are you ready Sec. Francisco Duque to show everything that the DOH has spent? Where did all of the money we borrow for the pandemic response go?)

Duque said the DOH has “reporting obligations” to the Office of the President and Congress on the use of funds under Bayanihan 1 and 2 and the national budget.

He said Pacquiao should first look into these reports.

“Siguro dapat ‘yun ang tingnan ni Senator Manny Pacquiao para alam niya kasi mahirap naman magsalita na hindi mo muna inaalam kung ano ba ‘yung mga budget na kanyang binanggit,” Duque said.

(Maybe Senator Manny Pacquiao should look into these reports so that he would know because it is difficult to talk when you don’t know the budget you are referring to.)

The Health chief pointed out that it was not the DOH that procured the rapid antibody test kits, which Pacquiao mentioned, but the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).

He added that procurements are being handled by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management.

Duque also said that Pacquiao had the chance to ask his questions on the government’s vaccine program when the Senate held a hearing on the matter but the senator did not have any questions on the issue.

“Sa totoo lang noong June 14 kami humarap sa committee of the whole ng Senado na pinatawag ni Senate President Sotto at ng iba pang mga senador, nandoon kami, walong oras kami doon eh pero ni isang tanong walang nanggaling kay Senator Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

(Actually, on June 14, we face the committee of the whole of the Senate called by Senate President Sotto and other senators. We were there for eight hours but not one question came from Senator Manny Pacquiao.)

“Wala, walang tanong ni isa so nakakapagtaka naman na bigla bigla namang magsasabi,” he added.

(So it is puzzling that it is only now that he is saying something.)

Duque earlier said he was “disheartened” by Pacquiao’s “baseless accusations.”

/MUF