MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) were caught off guard by the Office of the Ombudsman’s ongoing investigation over the alleged anomalies in the former’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response.
“I was surprised why we are being investigated by the Ombudsman. We have always been transparent. Lahat na aming datos, pinapakita namin sa publiko, every day, in our pressers, data is made available in different platforms,” DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said.
Vergeire argued the DOH has always been transparent with its processes of purchasing the COVID-19 test kits as well on other issues.
“Kung sakaling nagkaroon ng runaround, napagpasa-pasahan, hindi naman po siguro ganun. Ang RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine) po kasi ay under DOH, kaya may mga referral po ang RITM sa DOH and then back to RITM. Pero pinatitignan na po natin ito. We will be cooperating with the processes of the government,” Vergeire added.
RITM is the biggest laboratory processing COVID-19 test results.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III already gave a marching order on Ombudsman to track the trail of its request for documents, Vergeire said.
“Lahat po ng request for documents sa opisina namin ay binibigyan po namin ng response at kung hindi naman po namin maibigay, nagbibigay po kami ng acknowledgment,” Vergeire said.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires formed Wednesday two more teams to look into criminal and administrative charges filed against DOH officials regarding the procurement of COVID-19 test kits.
He also warned the DOH that non-cooperation in the investigation can lead to filing to administrative charges such as gross inexcusable negligency, inefficiency, or gross incompetence.
“Anong ginawa ng Department of Health para ihanda ang health workers sa kalaban na di mo nakikita?” Martires said in an interview with DZBB referring to those health workers who died on duty due to lack of personal protective equipment.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte still has his trust on Duque despite the ongoing investigation as he believes that the Health secretary can answer the allegations being hurled against him.
“President Duterte still has his trust on Secretary Duque,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual press conference. “He is confident that Secretary Duque can answer all the allegations against him.”
Duque has received flak over various issues, including the two-month-delay in the distribution of benefits for health workers infected with COVID-19. Some groups and senators called for his resignation./PN
