(Eagle News) — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III will “stay put.”
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said on Thursday, April 16, that this was the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte, following the call of 14 senators for the Health secretary to resign for his alleged failure of leadership.
According to Medialdea, Duque was “made aware of the sentiments of the Senators and the President expects him to work even harder to set aside any doubts on his capacity and sincerity to serve the public during these difficult times” instead.
“(The President) also expressed his appreciation for the Senators’ gesture in giving him the opportunity to weigh his options on the performance (of) his (Secretary of Health),” Medialdea said.
Earlier, Senate President TIto Sotto, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Joel Villanueva, Francis Tolentino, Bong Revilla, Imee Marcos, Lito Lapid, Ping Lacson and Manny Pacquiao signed P.S. Resolution No. 362 that called for Duque’s resignation.
The senators noted what they said was Duque’s “failure of leadership, negligence, lack of foresight and inefficiency” in the performance of his mandate as Health secretary, citing particularly his alleged late recommendation in the banning of flights to and from China, the supposed slow contact tracing of passengers on the flights taken by the Philippines’ first two confirmed COVID-19 cases, his alleged failure to provide Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers, among others.
Senator Bong Go, a former aide of President Duterte, did not sign the resolution.
So far, the Philippines has reported over 5000 COVID-19 cases, with recoveries keeping the lead over deaths for two days in a row.