Trillanes dares Malacañang: Let Robredo lead COVID-19 task force

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV dared the government to appoint Vice President Leni Robredo to lead the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

“If Malacañang really wants to flatten the curve, then it should appoint [Robredo] to be the IATF chair,” Trillanes said in a statement Friday.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III sits as chair of the task force, with Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles as his co-chairperson.

In April, a month into the coronavirus lockdown, senators called on Duque to quit his post citing his "failure of leadership, negligence, lack of foresight, and inefficiency in the performance of his mandate... resulting in poor planning, delayed response, lack of transparency, and misguided and flip-flopping policies and measures in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic." 

The Office of the Ombudsman also announced it is conducting a motu propio probe into Duque and other DOH officials over delayed procurement of PPEs for, and increasing infections and deaths among, health workers. Chief graft buster Samuel Martires also said they will look into “confused and delayed reporting of COVID-19 deaths and confirmed cases.”

Trillanes added in Filipino: “If [Robredo] would lead and run the IATF, it can do more and surely, we would have better campaign against COVID-19.”

Trillanes takes a swipe at Roque

Trillanes also slammed presidential spokesperson Harry Roque for saying Robredo should offer solutions instead of criticizing the government over its COVID-19 response.

In an interview with ANC on Wednesday, Roque said: “I just wish the vice president could actually offer solutions.”

Trillanes rebutted: “Is Roque blind or pretending to be blind on the help extended and being extended to our countrymen by the vice president in the face of this pandemic?”

“Kung ang amo ni Roque na si Duterte ay patulog-tulog, si [Robredo] ay halos wala nang pahinga sa paghahanap ng paraan kung panno makatutulong sa mga Pilipino,” he added.

At the start of the Luzon-wide lockdown on March, Robredo’s office initiated bus transportation services for healthcare workers who were left without means to get to their workplaces when mass transportation was halted.

The Office of the Vice President has also raised funds for purchase of PPEs and opened up accommodations for frontliners during lockdown, and launched an e-market project that taps tricycle drivers to deliver market goods to buyers.

As the school opening nears, Robredo’s office also called for donation of unused gadgets students and teachers may use that for the government’s distance learning plan.

Trillanes added: “Duterte has opted to use checkpoints instead of mass testing and contact tracing. His failure to properly address the problem has devastated the economy and led to more COVID-19 cases.”

As of June 18, the Health department recorded a total of 27,799 COVID-19 infections nationwide. Death toll rose to 1,116 while 7,090 have so far recovered from the coronavirus disease. — Kristine Joy Patag

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