MANILA – Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III described the Senate Committee of the Whole’s criminal charges recommendation against him as “unfortunate.”
Duque, who is the chairman of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), said in a statement on Wednesday that he had no say in the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).
“This is not the best time for the executive to have a difference with the legislative branch, but two weeks ago I went to the Senate to shed light on the issues based on my personal knowledge,” Duque said.
“As a non-voting chairman under the Universal Health Care Law, it is unfortunate that I was impleaded in the alleged IRM irregularities when I was not even present during the deliberation nor did I sign the Board Resolution,” he added.
The Senate Committee of the Whole earlier said Duque should be held liable for the improper and illegal implementation of the interim reimbursement mechanism, which allowed the agency to provide advance payments to hospitals tending to COVID-19 patients.
The health chief, an ex-officio member of PhilHealth’s board of directors, should also be made responsible for “malversation of public funds” and for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, meanwhile, said that President Rodrigo Duterte respects the Senate recommendation but will wait for the outcome of the investigation by his task force.
“The President will have to await the findings of his own task force but as I said the investigation in aid of legislation is always welcome. It is a recognized power of the Senate and we respect their findings,” Roque told CNN Philippines.
“I think the task force itself will evaluate the findings of the Senate. I am almost sure that the Senate has transmitted all the evidence it has gathered in the course of its investigation,” he added./PN
