President Duterte to Duque: “Alam ko na gusto mo nang mag-resign pero …”
On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte said that if Health Secretary Francisco Duque III filed his resignation, he will outrightly reject it.
President Duterte’s statement came after the Commission on Audit (COA) earlier released a report that raised questions on how the Department of Health (DOH) used more than PHP 67.3 billion in COVID-19 funds.
The COA report stated that there were “deficiencies” in the Department of Health’s management of the funds.
“Alam ko na gusto mo nang mag-resign pero alam mo rin na tatanggihan kita. Noon, you have attempted to resign twice. I expect you to say something to me,” President Duterte told Duque during his weekly public address aired late Monday night.
The President criticized the state auditors instead for releasing the report because it became “gospel truth”.
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President Duterte also said that it wasn’t fair to people like Duque “who have been working, toiling” in the country’s COVID-19 pandemic response. If Duque heeded the public outcry for him to resign, President Duterte said that he will say “no”.
“Wala ka naman ginawang masama, bakit ka magresign? Kung hanapin nila diyan kung meron silang makita in the end, if you find that there is, mga nawala diyan mga 500 eh di magdemanda kayo. Punta ng Supreme Court,” President Duterte said.
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Even the country’s association of medical students had criticized Duque, saying he’s “incapable” of managing and leading the health system in the Philippines.
President Duterte also said that he will not allow any of his Cabinet officials to steal even PHP 1,000, adding that he wasn’t only promising to protect the people but also the public’s coffers.
“Do you really think I would allow it? Ako na mismo ang nagsasabi sa nyo, papayag ako? You think I allow it. Tang—magkabarilan kami kung ganun,” President Duterte added.
Last October 2020, President Duterte came to Duque’s defense after the Health chief was tagged as the “godfather” of PhilHealth mafia in the PHP 15-billion missing funds mess.
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