Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 17) — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered an investigation into supposed “irregularities and anomalies” made by the Department of Health in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said it respects the Ombudsman’s decision to order a probe.
A statement from Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Wednesday said the probe was ordered after the gathering of reports and upon the recommendation of Assistant Ombudsman Caesar D. Asuncion, Joselito P. Fangon and Jose M. Balmeo Jr., “in addition to the team created prior to the March 15 ECQ (enhanced community quarantine).”
READ: The Department of Health welcomes the investigation ordered by the Office of the Ombudsman. The agency says it has been transparent in the COVID-19 response
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The investigation involves the purchase of 100,000 test kits by the DOH and news reports regarding the use of UP-invented test kits.
“The Ombudsman, as we all know, is an independent constitutional body; thus, we will let the process run its course as we enjoin Secretary Duque and the entire DOH bureaucracy to cooperate with the investigation and respect the orders of the OMB,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
READ: Ex-health chief accuses local supplier of jacking up prices of test kits
Chairman of the Committee on Health Senator Bong Go and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon have expressed their support for the move, saying people have the right to know the truth and demand accountability.
According to Martires, at least two more teams will jointly investigate alleged anomalies and irregularities committed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, as well as officials and employees of the DOH.
According to Drilon, “the lapses they [officials] committed have exposed to risk the welfare of the entire nation.”
The Ombudsman specified the following as points of interest:
“The Filipino people deserve a fair and impartial investigation in order to shed light on these alleged anomalies and also for concerned officials to have an opportunity to clear their name,” he added.
– the delayed procurement of physical protective equipment (PPE), and other medical gears necessary for the protection of healthcare workers;
“I can only hope that this time around, the investigation will bear fruit and find those concerned liable and suffer the consequences of their misdeeds in taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis for self-aggrandizement,” he said.
– alleged lapses and irregularities that led to the death of medical workers and the rising number of deaths and infected medical frontliners;
– inaction in the release and processing of benefits and financial assistance of “fallen” and infected medical frontliners; and
In the same statement, Lacson took a swipe at the Office of the Ombudsman, saying it allowed the agricultural smuggling case he filed against former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon “to languish in the dustbin.”
[Translation: They transferred us from one facility or department to another. They directed us to the RITM, and then to a department in the DOH, until the lockdown was imposed. I don’t know what the DOH is hiding.]
– the confusing and delayed reporting of Covid 19 related deaths and confirmed cases.
Martires added his office began to conduct an investigation prior to the start of the March 15 lockdown, but was given the “runaround” by some DOH personnel by referring them from one office to another.
Martires said they weren’t able to identify the personnel who gave them the runaround, as these employees also refused to disclose their names.
“Pinagpasa-pasahan kami. Pinasa kami sa RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), tapos pinasa kami sa isang departamento ng DOH hanggang naabutan kami ng lockdown. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tinatago ng DOH,” the Ombudsman told CNN Philippines’ News.PH.
The statement from the Office of the Ombudsman also said the investigating teams were authorized to file necessary cases against any DOH personnel who does not comply with the joint investigating team, or obstructs or misleads the investigation.
“We don’t want to go back anymore to the past para hanapin ‘yung mga taong ‘yun [to look for those people]. Mahirap ‘yun eh [That is difficult],” he added.
For its part, the Department of Health said it welcomes the investigation and will comply with all directives from the Office of the Ombudsman.
However, he said they will be investigating not only the Health Secretary, but also the undersecretaries, assistance secretaries, directors, and all other officials down the line who were involved “in the lapses that have happened.”
The Ombudsman promised the lawmakers that the investigation will bear “concrete results,” and that it will “not be limited to the department proper.”
“Even provincial hospitals, regional hospitals, those testing centers identified by the DOH will likewise be investigated,” he said.
Senator Ping Lacson meanwhile said it was “about time” for the investigation.
[“The DOH has been transparent in the COVID-19 response, including procurement transactions and the provision of benefits to healthcare workers,” the agency said in a statement.
