DOH didn’t buy pandemic supplies—Duque

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III: COVID-19 purchases were handled by DBM’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has maintained that the Department of Health (DOH) is not involved in procuring pandemic-related supplies.

Duque made the statement after the Senate blue ribbon panel recommended that graft and plunder charges be filed against him, former procurement officials, Pharmally executives and Chinese businessman Michael Yang for their alleged involvement in anomalous pandemic supply deals.

Duque said the panel “turned a blind eye” to the fact that all purchases for the COVID-19 response were handled by the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

“It is unfortunate that the Panel turned a blind eye to the truth that was revealed during the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing that all procurements for the country’s COVID-19 response were made through the PS-DBM, the agency purposely tasked to undertake such activities,” Duque said in a statement.

“We at the DOH were not part of the activity as we were focused on the medical side of the pandemic response,” he added.

The Senate panel recommended the graft and plunder charges in a draft partial committee report released to the media on Tuesday.

“I understand that the Panel Report that was released to the media is a mere draft and will still need to undergo a process within the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee,” said Duque.

“Nevertheless, if the Blue Ribbon adopts the recommendation, we will wait for the action of the appropriate Tribunal. It is assured that we will fully cooperate with the Tribunal’s process as we have nothing to hide,” he added.

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