Hontiveros: Probe ex-president Duterte based on Duque’s revelation

Risa Hontiveros
—Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros pressed on Tuesday the Ombudsman to take into account former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s revelation that then President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the transfer of funds meant for the procurement of COVID-19 supplies during the pandemic.

In a statement, Hontiveros said she was no longer surprised about Duque’s revelation.

“Since Duque made this statement under oath, former President Duterte should be included in the investigation, especially since it can be proven that he was introduced to Pharmally officials by Michael Yang, his special adviser, in 2017,” said Hontiveros.

According to her, the former chief executive should at least explain the policies he considered for issuing such a directive.

“As the Ombudsman continues its Pharmally probe, I trust that it will take this revelation into account,” she said.

“Pasasaan ba at gugulong din ang hustisya at mapapanagot lahat ng lumustay sa pera ng bayan lalo na sa panahon ng pandemya,” she emphasized.

(Justice will be served and all those who used the public’s money, especially during the pandemic, will be held accountable.)

READ: Duque says Duterte ordered transfer of P47.6-B DOH fund to PS-DBM

Duque, for his part, admitted before a House panel that he transferred some P47.6 billion from the Department of Health to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management as ordered by Duterte.

The former health chief said that the decision was based on recommendations from the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which he headed when he was still the country’s health secretary.