MANILA — Two Department of Health (DOH) undersecretaries have resigned amid separate complaints questioning alleged procurement irregularities and conflicts of interest involving government health projects, Malacañang confirmed.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the resignations of DOH Undersecretaries Randy Escolango and Glenn Matthew Baggao in a message to Palace reporters.
Their departures come as both officials face separate complaints before authorities, although the allegations against them have not been established as facts by a court.
Escolango joined the DOH undersecretariat on Aug. 1, 2025, succeeding former Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
His stint at the agency was later clouded by allegations raised before the Office of the Ombudsman.
In June, a group of DOH employees questioned Escolango’s appointment and linked him to an alleged “close procurement” arrangement involving the centralized handling of funds and the distribution of medicines, vaccines and other medical supplies.
Escolango has faced the allegations before the Ombudsman.
Baggao, meanwhile, previously headed the Cagayan Valley Medical Center in Tuguegarao City before moving to the DOH.
He also became the subject of graft and administrative complaints over an alleged conflict of interest involving a construction company reportedly owned by his brother.
The complaint alleged that the company secured several DOH health infrastructure contracts in 2025 worth a combined P140.99 million under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).
Baggao had headed the HFEP, prompting allegations that he used his position to influence the allocation of government funds for projects that benefited his family’s construction business.
The complaints against Escolango and Baggao remain allegations and have not been established as facts by a court./PN
