Politics has nothing to do with my designation as acting DOH chief — Garin

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MANILA — Department of Health (DOH) acting Secretary Janette L. Garin emphasized Wednesday that politics has nothing to do with her current designation as acting DOH chief while DOH Secretary Enrique T. Ona is on leave.

Garin said being a former politician does not prevent her from serving the country. She added she may not be perfect, but had some notable accomplishments during her term as lawmaker.

Garin made the statement during a press briefing Wednesday noon at the DOH media relations unit in Tayuman, Manila in reaction to the insinuations that her designation as Acting Secretary is all about politics.

Garin said even Secretary Ona himself and DOH Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa can refute this.

She also cited criticisms being thrown at her through insinuations that she was also being probed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) issue.

“I immediately called (Justice) Secretary Leila de Lima and volunteered myself for any investigation,” she said.

She further added that she has no funds in NABCOR when she was still a congresswoman.

She also pointed out that she was not involved in the Napoles issue as she recalled that she even presented and volunteered herself under the scrutiny of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and NBI.

She said she is ready to present herself if the DOJ and NBI find merit on the accusation, which she described as malicious.

Ona is currently on leave as the NBI conducts a probe on the alleged anomalous procurement of over P800-million worth of pneumoccocal conjugate vaccine (PCV 10) by the DOH in 2012.

She added that she is leaving it to the discretion of President Benigno S. Aquino III in case Secretary Ona decides to resign.

If chosen as replacement but the DOJ finds merit in the accusation, Garin said she will immediately step down from the position.

“I will only stay if I have the confidence and the trust of the majority of the DOH family,” she said.