Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 25) — Senators on Wednesday criticized Health Secretary Francisco Duque III for letting other agency officials answer questions directly addressed at him.
“Secretary Duque I respect you but please, you don’t pass it on,” said Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon after the official intended to turn over a question to one of his undersecretaries.
“You have to man up and answer the question yourself, because that shows weakness. Kaya ka napagdududahan dahil di ka sumasagot [You are being doubted because you don’t answer] forthrightly and I don’t think that’s your intention,” the lawmaker further said.
Sen. Grace Poe echoed Gordon’s sentiments.
“Hindi pupwede na parang ide-delegate lagi sa mga kasamahan sa trabaho, kundi mismo ang namumuno ng ahensya ang may responsibilidad,” reminded Poe.
[Translation: You can’t always delegate things to your co-workers, because the one leading the agency should hold the responsibility.]
The Health chief has frequently called on undersecretaries and directors to answer questions directed at him in recent probes held both by the Senate and the House on the agency. State auditors recently flagged “deficiencies” in how the DOH handled its budget, adding that they undermined its efficient response to the pandemic.
“When you are head of agency and cannot answer for your agency’s actions, you are incompetent!” tweeted Senate President Tito Sotto, who also took part in Wednesday’s hearing.
Senators have criticized the Health chief a number of times as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 health crisis. Just recently, they urged him to stop blaming others and step up amid complaints from health workers who have yet to receive promised benefits.
The Cabinet official was likewise called out for his rant against the Commission on Audit, with lawmakers coming to the defense of state auditors who, they said, were just fulfilling their mandate.
Despite the amount of criticism Duque has faced, he has been consistently defended by President Rodrigo Duterte. The chief executive said over the weekend that he will stand by the official “even if it will bring me down.”
READ: Duterte ‘will never fire’ Duque, but will accept his voluntary resignation
