‘Include Duterte in probe on COVID fund transfer’

SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday she was “not surprised” by the disclosure of former health secretary Francisco Duque that former President Duterte ordered the transfer of P47.6 billion on COVID-19 funds from the Department of Health to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).

Hontiveros said Duterte should “be included in the investigation” because Duque made the disclosure under oath during a House committee hearing on Monday, “especially, since it can be proven that he [Duterte] was introduced to Pharmally officials by Michael Yang, his special adviser in 2017.”

Hontiveros also said she is optimistic the Ombudsman will consider Duque’s statements in its ongoing investigation on the alleged irregularities in the purchase of COVID-19 supplies and equipment at the height of the pandemic.

“Duterte should, at the very least, explain the policy considerations that resulted to his directive to Secretary Duque,” she said.

Former senator Richard Gordon, who was chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee at the time the issue was investigated, said he was hesitant to include Duque among officials who should be held responsible for the Pharmally mess “simply because he was a prisoner of the President, he was cabinet member.”

In an interview with ANC, Gordon also said the transfer of the P47.6 billion funds “could not have happened without Duterte.”

“President Duterte started the wheels of corruption and it started by making sure that he transferred the money. There was money to be looted, he appointed his people, some of whom have been charged earlier,” Gordon said.

Gordon said the government lost around P11 billion to the irregularities in buying COVID-19 supplies and equipment.

He said Duterte has admitted on TV shows that he was the one who ordered Duque to allow the transfer of the funds from the DOH to the PS-DBM.

“So, Duque now can be a state witness, depending on the Ombudsman. He can be a major, major witness against Duterte to call it in. That’s his only chance of salvation,” he added.

He said that the alibi that Duterte ordered the transfer of funds since it was such extraordinary times during onset of the