Sandigan starts P41 billion pandemic fund transfer trial

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has started the trial of former health secretary Francisco Duque III and former budget official Lloyd Christopher Lao.

Facing graft charges, Duque and Lao have been implicated in alleged irregularities in the P41.46-billion fund transfer from the Department of Health to the Department of Budget and Management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prosecutors are planning to present state auditors as witnesses to the delayed and non-delivery of pandemic supplies supposedly covered by the hefty fund transfer.

In 2020, state auditors flagged “deficiencies” in the use of over P67 billion in COVID-19 response funds, including the P41.46-billion fund transfer, due to a lack of agreement and supporting documents.

Associate Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega, chair of the anti-graft court’s First Division, ordered parties to file their arguments.

Findings of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee’s 2021 to 2022 probe were presented to the court by Assumption Ingrid Reyes of the Senate Legislative Records and Archives Service.

Herbosa faces raps for flying business

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Undersecretary Albert Francis Domingo have been accused of graft and corruption after allegedly upgrading to business class their flight to Switzerland in May.

The Alliance of Health Workers has asked Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla to probe the two officials, who had attended the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Herbosa and Domingo should be prosecuted and placed under preventive suspension, the group said.