Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III got emotional last Tuesday, August 17, as he denounced the report made by the Commission on Audit (COA) on several deficiencies in the COVID-19 pandemic spending that led to “missed opportunities,” amounting to some ₱67.32 billion. The COA, mandated to complete the annual audit reports
(AARs) of government agencies and local government units by June 30 of the succeeding year, released the said department’s 2020 report on its website last August 11. These “deficiencies” mean that there were missing papers to support the spending, thus, unaccounted for and appearing unused or misused.
In the same report, COA exposed a budget of ₱11.89 billion remaining unspent, which should have been used to cover front liners’ much-deserved risk allowances and hazard pay. The report says that the funds “were not translated to much-needed health supplies, equipment, and services that could have benefited both the health workers and the general public during the critical times of the pandemic.”
However, Duque said the flagged funds were "fully accounted for,” spent for test kit procurement, personal protective equipment, healthcare workers’ benefits, and salaries of human resources for health, among others. He added that the department is ready to show the public how the budget was utilized.
The report spread quickly, and the department became the focus of public interest again, reviving calls for Duque to tender his resignation and allowing the people to lambast the agency’s poor handling of the pandemic. The Senate and the House of Representatives immediately scheduled their separate inquiries to investigate potential anomalies.
All these led to Duque breaking down and hitting COA back in a virtual House panel inquiry last week, exclaiming how the agency has destroyed the honor of the health department. He said COA could have given more leeway considering that they are operating in a public health emergency and added that his subordinates have already submitted several responses to COA but weren’t acknowledged by the commission.
“Winarak na ninyo kami. Winarak na ninyo ang dangal ng DOH. Winarak ninyo ang lahat ng mga kasama ko dito. Hindi kami makaharap sa tao dahil lahat ang dami-daming paratang. Wala pa rin akong tulog, ilang gabi na ito,” the embattled health chief said, getting emotional. "This is really unfair, unjust that this judgment had been handed down clearly without giving the DOH the full 60 days within which we should have given our rejoinder and reported on the actions on their recommendations," he said.
Meanwhile, the Senators have also scrutinized the matter. Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon disagrees with Duque, saying that COA just did its job as mandated, and the department has been given 30 to 60 days to respond. For Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the livelihood and the future of millions of ordinary citizens were the ones indeed destroyed by the pandemic. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri stated that COA is essential for good governance and should be used as a tool or a guide for the improvement of the agency. On the other hand, Sen. Grace Poe believes that Duque should have been suspended for being involved in a "criminal" rather than a mere negligence case, likewise to what happened to the PhilHealth executives engaged in an alleged corruption case last year.
On the contrary, Duque enjoys the trust of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte who said that he would not let him resign. "Maski mag-isa na lang ako, I will stand for Duque, even if it will bring me down," Duterte gave the health secretary his support in a recorded speech aired last Saturday, August 21. It should also be noted that Duterte first castigated COA to stop flagging and publishing their reports. However, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said that the President was “out of line” since the commission is an autonomous constitutional body independent from the three government branches and hence, cannot be dictated by anyone.
SOURCES:
Ayalin, Adrian; Manahan, Job, & Punzalan, Jamaine. “Lawmakers, groups remind Duterte of COA's constitutional mandate.” ABS-CBN News. August 17, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/17/21/duterte-reminded-of-coas-constitutional-mandate Bondoc, Jarius. "Duque in gov’t 18 years; why question COA now?" The Philippine Star. August 20, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2021/08/20/2121227/duque-govt-18-years-why-question-coa-now Buan, Lian. "Duterte: 'I will stand for Duque even if it will bring me down.’" Rappler. August 21, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-defends-duque-coa-report Buan, Lian. "Often-ignored COA fuels pandemic outrage vs Duterte gov't." Rappler. August 20, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/often-ignored-commission-audit-fuels-pandemic-outrage-against-duterte-government Ferreras, Vince. "Senators call out Duque for rant against COA.” CNN Philippines. August 18, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/18/Senators-call-out-Duque-rant-COA-.html Limpot, Kristel. "'You Have Destroyed DOH's Honor': Duque Laments 'premature' Release of COA Report on COVID-19 Funds." CNN. August 17, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.cnn.ph/news/2021/8/17/Duque-DOH-COA-report.html. Magsambol, Bonz. "DOH’s poor use of P67 billion COVID-19 funds led to ‘missed opportunities’ – auditors." Rappler. August 11, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.rappler.com/nation/coa-says-poor-use-billions-covid-19-funds-led-missed-opportunities Magsambol, Bonz. "[WATCH] Emotional Duque confronts COA: ‘Winarak ’nyo kami.’" Rappler. August 17, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.rappler.com/nation/duque-hits-commission-audit-house-hearing-august-17-2021 Ornedo, Julia Mari. "DOH flagged over deficiencies in use of P67.32 billion-COVID-19 funds." GMA News. August 11, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/798947/doh-flagged-over-deficiencies-in-use-of-p67-32-billion-covid-19-funds/story/ Senate of the Philippines 18th Congress. "Drilon: Duque not yet off the hook over poor management of COVID-19 funds." Press Release. August 16, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2021/0816_drilon1.asp Yap, DJ & Corrales, Nestor. “Senate, House mount separate inquiries into DOH use of COVID-19 funds.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 16, 2021. Accessed August 22, 2021. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1474053/senate-house-mount-separate-inquiries-into-doh-use-of-covid-funds
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