MANILA – Malacañang dismissed as false the circulating rumors that Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa has been placed under preventive suspension, even as controversies surrounding his office continue to mount.
“From OP (Office of the President) and OES (Office of the Executive Secretary), wala po as of now na suspension of Sec. Ted,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters.
Talk of Herbosa’s suspension flared after reports surfaced that he was being replaced due to complaints filed against him and the Department of Health (DOH). The health chief had earlier offered his courtesy resignation in June as part of a Cabinet reshuffle, but President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. refused to accept it.
Herbosa has faced multiple allegations, including a complaint lodged by DOH employees before the Office of the Ombudsman in July. The complaint accused him and other officials of authorizing the release of P44.6 million worth of psychiatric drugs to the Rotary Club of Quezon City, which is not licensed to distribute medicines.
He is also the subject of an anonymous complaint over the alleged transfer of P1.29 billion in cash advances to UNICEF between February and July 2024, alongside a procurement request for P524 million worth of vaccines from the organization.
Critics have further questioned Herbosa’s frequent foreign trips, which his camp has defended as necessary for securing international aid and medical resources.
This is not the first time Herbosa’s leadership has come under fire. Before his appointment to the Cabinet, he drew criticism as a COVID-19 adviser after describing a death at a community pantry as “death by community pantry.”/PN
