Duque is ‘ninong’ of WellMed owner; nothing wrong, says Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang downplayed Thursday Health Secretary Francisco Duque II I’s relations to Bryan Christopher Sy, one of WellMed Dialysis Center’s owners.

Duque was one of Sy’s wedding sponsors in 2014.

WellMed Dialysis, a private dialysis center, was accused of defrauding the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) by submitting claims for dead patients.

READ: ‘Ninong’ Duque hands off WellMed owner in trouble

“E marami naman kaming ninong e. Marami kaming inaanak sa kasal. He (Duque) didn’t even know na ninong siya pala until somebody told him,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters in Malacañang.

(Many of us stood as wedding sponsors. We have many godchildren. He [Duque] did not even know that he was the godfather until somebody told him.)

WATCH: Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said PhilHealth officials submitted their courtesy resignations last June 11. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/t3Himu25P8

— Darryl John Esguerra (@drrylesguerra) June 13, 2019

Duque, who was appointed as health secretary in October 2107, also serves as ex-officio chair of PhilHealth.

Sy was arrested on Tuesday after he showed up at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) headquarters in Manila. (Editor: Eden Estopace)

READ: NBI arrests WellMed owner over ghost dialysis issue