Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 8) — Outgoing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said a skilled legal team will defend him if he is charged over the procurement of COVID-19 supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corporation once his term ends.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier advised him to get a competent lawyer. The lawmaker alleged Duque had a hand in the mishandling of pandemic funds when he approved the transfer of DOH’s P42 billion COVID-19 response funds to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
The Procurement Service of DBM then awarded the ₱8.6 billion supply deal to Pharmally in April 2020, when the company was just six months old and had a capital of only over ₱600,000, Senate investigation showed.
Duque has repeatedly explained that he approved the transfer to expedite the purchase of the urgently-needed supplies during the public health emergency.
The health chief is confident President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to have his back, just like in the past when the chief executive brushed aside the Senate’s calls for his sacking.
“The president has always stood by me and always has his full trust and confidence in me and this is for good reason because alam nya [he knows my] track record,” he said in the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.
Next job
Duque will have a job waiting for him once his term as health secretary ends on June 30.
He said will return to managing the university owned by his family in Dagupan City. He will focus on teaching and “internationalizing” the Lyceum Northwestern University, Duque added.
