Even if it brings him down, President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to come to the defense of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
In a Palace meeting aired Saturday morning, Duterte stood for his controversial health chief who has been under the spotlight since the Commission on Audit flagged “deficiencies” in the Department of Health’s (DOH) handling of P67.3 billion pandemic response funds.
“I’m sorry but I said maski mag-isa na lang ako, I will stand for Duque even if it will bring me down,” Duterte declared.
Duterte also urged critics of the administration to give him reasons why he should sack his health chief.
“Kaawa naman ‘yung mama…Gusto mo paalisin ko? Give me a reason bakit ko paalisin. E kinuha ko ‘yung tao, hindi naman nakiusap na ‘kunin mo ako.’ Ako ang kumuha,” he said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has especially been a controversial time for Duque.
But despite controversies, including when Duque insisted to not impose a travel ban during the early days of the pandemic and was linked to corruption within the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Duterte has consistently stood up for Duque.
“Kung anong pagkakamali niya, sa akin ‘yan. Pero ang nakita ko you are to oust him, for what? Ano ba ang nagawa niya na kasamaan? May dalawang asawa siya? Wala tayong pakialam niyan. Dagdagan mo pang isa, Secretary, para tatlo. Wala… Ang alam dito is just corruption and dereliction of duty,” Duterte said. John Ezekiel J. Hirro