DOH 'disheartened' by Pacquiao's 'baseless' corruption claims — Duque
MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday sought to respond to allegations by Sen. Manny Pacquiao that his agency is riddled with corruption as he dismissed it as baseless.
The senator earlier today dared Duque to present the Department of Health's expenses, including on where funds for the country's COVID-19 response went.
Pacquiao, in mentioning DOH but without proof, was accepting President Rodrigo Duterte's call to name corrupt officials in his administration.
"While we are disheartened by these baseless accusations from our government officials," Duque said in a statement, "we submit ourselves to inquiries from legislators as this is a part of the checks and balances in our government."
Pacquiao called to look into the DOH's purchase of COVID-19 rapid test kits, personal protective equipment for health workers, and face masks, to name a few.
But two-time health chief said he has "always been a champion of good governance," and that the health department has been transparent on the utilization of their funds.
Duque said they are ready to present their expenses, and added that they submit reports to agencies too, and even the Senate.
He sought to explain as well that money government borrowed for vaccine purchase directly goes to the jabs' manufacturer from the funding agency.
The Philippines has secured billions of loans from multilateral sources such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and Asian Infrastructure Bank.
Such is part of the total P82.5 billion that the administration secured from Congress to procure the vaccines, handled by the Department of Finance.
"The money from funding agencies do not go through the DOH and even through government," Duque added in Filipino.
Pacquiao, who some have said is looking to run for the presidency in 2022, has found himself in a squabble with his own party PDP-Laban as its acting president, with Duterte as chairman.
Duterte in his address on June 28 told the senator that he would campaign against him in next year's poll should he fail to name the officials. — Christian Deiparine
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