MANILA, Philippines – A Malacañang official said on Tuesday that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III still enjoys President Rodrigo Duterte’s trust even as probe into the corruption allegations against the health official begins.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said an investigation has been launched following claims that Duque was involved in a case of “conflict of interest.”
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier claimed that Duque’s family-owned Doctors Pharmaceuticals company which bagged two government contracts in 2016 and 2017. He also said that Duque’s family owned the building leased by Philhealth in Pangasinan.
Duque had previously denied any hand in these contracts, insisting that he already divested his shares, right and interest in his family’s company in 2006.
“Until such time there is a definitive finding of any act which is a violation of the law, the secretary of health still has the trust and confidence of the president,” Panelo told reporters at a Palace briefing.
Panelo explained the investigation is part of the government’s standard operating procedure as the allegations were made against a Cabinet official.
“The SOP is any complaint, as the president says, that reaches his table will always be a subject of a serious investigation by the office of the president,” Panelo said.
The Palace official also said to wait for the president’s decision when asked whether Duque will be summoned for the investigation.
Duque first served as health secretary from 2005 to 2010, he then served as Civil Service Commission chairman from 2010 to 2015 and was appointed again to the DOH by Duterte in October 2017. (RDG with details from Rosalie Coz)
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