Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 18) — Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III should take a leave of absence while the Office of the Ombudsman is investigating him.
Gatchalian said this will ensure an impartial probe.
“Obviously, you can influence the information that the Ombudsman will request from the agency,” Gatchalian said in an online interview with reporters. “I think the most appropriate thing to do is to take a leave while the investigation is still ongoing.”
Ombudsman Samuel Martires earlier said he ordered the investigation of the alleged irregularities and anomalies committed by Health department officials and employees, including Duque.
Gatchalian said he supports the Ombudsman’s move.
“It is really about time to clear the air at malaman natin ang katotohanan (and to find out the truth)…” Gatchalian said. “In the Bayanihan Act, we gave them flexibility, we gave DOH the flexibility to procure anything they want without bidding….”
“Pero dapat siguraduhin nila na ang pagbili nila ay nasa tamang halaga at iyong binili nila ay reasonable,” he added.” Hindi iyong labis labis.”
[Translation: But they must ensure that their purchases are at the right amount and reasonable. Not too much.]
Gatchalian was among the senators who signed a Senate resolution calling for Duque to step down.
He explained that Duque lacks foresight, which is necessary in battling the pandemic.
“Nakita ko na nasayang natin ang oportunidad na magset-up during the lull period, which is January and February…” Gatchalian explained. “Ang pangako 30,000 (tests) by end of May. Ano na ngayon? Kalagitnaan na ng June nasa 10,000 pa rin tayo. There are really problems with the performance of DOH that led us to where we are right now.”
[Translation: I saw that we wasted the opportunity to set up during the lull period, which is January and February. The promise was 30,000 tests by end of May. What happened now? It’s now mid-June, we’re still at 10,000 tests a day. There are really problems with the performance of DOH that led us to where we are right now.]
Gatchalian said he believes it will not be a big loss in the government’s fight against COVID-19 if Duque will take a leave of absence.
He said the National Task Force is now on top of a big bulk of tasks on the fight against COVID-19.
Gatchalian added that there are many capable health undersecretaries, who may step in and do Duque’s job while he’s on leave.
“Iyong isolation centers, iyong testing capacity, iyong delivery ng PPE, halos lahat iyon National Task Force na ang gumagawa,” the senator said. “Ang DOH sila ang nag-a-analyze ng epidemiology data, as well as giving public health advice. But even epidemiology data, maraming reklamo dahil delayed. May isang instance o maraming instance, mas marami pa late cases kaysa fresh cases. So in other words, even the integrity of data is in question.”
[Translation: The isolation centers, testing capacity, delivery of PPE, almost all of those are being taken care of by the National Task Force. The DOH is analyzing the epidemiology data, as well as giving public health advice. But even for the epidemiology data, there are many complaints due to the delayed reporting. There are instances that there are more late than fresh cases. So in other words, even the integrity of data is in question.]
Slow gov’t response vs. COVID-19
Gatchalian said the government is not acting fast enough in addressing the COVID-19 health emergency.
It has been been three months since the government started to implement strict quarantine protocols.
However, as of now, about 300-500 positive cases are still being reported daily.
“I don’t think we are doing anything wrong. We’re just not doing it fast enough…” Gatchalian argued. “Iyong ginagawa ng Germany, France, Italy, ginagawa rin natin. Except mas mabilis sila. Ang bilis talaga nila. Tayo, like I said, testing natin is still at 10,000. Without testing, how do you isolate?”
[Translation: I don’t think we are doing anything wrong. We’re just not doing it fast enough… We’re also doing what Germany, France, and Italy are doing, except that they are much faster. Like I said, our daily testing capacity is still at 10,000. Without testing, how do you isolate?]
The senator warned that if the slow-paced government response persists, more socio-economic problems may arise such as hunger, unwanted teenage pregnancies, and school drop outs.
80% of positive cases in Valenzuela due to gatherings
In Valenzuela City, 80% of the latest COVID-19 patients got infected after they attended a gathering.
“Nagkainan. Nagkita-kita. Nag-meeting. (They ate together and met.) So we have to avoid gatherings,” said the senator, who was formerly congressman for the first district of Valenzuela. “And really, I am trying not to believe that a second wave is not coming, but the numbers, napako tayo sa 300-400 cases a day noong nag-GCQ tayo (We were stuck in 300-400 cases a day when we implemented GCQ). No let up in terms of implementing our strategies.”
The senator expressed belief that there is no need to revert to stricter quarantine level.
“For now, pwede pa [ang GCQ] (GCQ is still allowed]) because it’s a good balance between the economy and fighting COVID,” he said. “It’s a good balance between limiting infection at the same time making people earn a living. But we have to be very strict, no gatherings.”
Gatchalian also suggested deferring the opening of public transportation on June 22 to prevent the increase in COVID-19 patients.
“Dapat pag-aralan mabuti and should be deferred if necessary kasi kapag binuksan ang public transpo on June 22, sigurado pipila ang mga tao,” he pointed out. “Sigurado magkakaroon ng hawaan.”
[Translation: It needs further studies and should be deferred if necessary, because if we open public transportation on June 22, it’s a certainty that people will have to line up and there will be viral transmission.]
