Pacquiao either ‘absent’ or ‘preoccupied’ when Duque faced Senate

MANILA – Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao was either “absent” or “preoccupied” when Cabinet secretaries, particularly Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, explained before the Senate the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts, Malacañang said on Friday.

This, after Pacquiao identified the Department of Health (DOH) as the first government agency that should be investigated over the purchase of Covid-19 rapid test kits, personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, and face masks.

In a press briefing in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Pacquiao appeared to be clueless about the government’s transparency when it comes to handling finances earmarked for Covid-19 pandemic response.

“Sa akin po, absent po siguro si Senator Pacquiao noong nag-presenta ‘yung mga Cabinet secretary (For me, perhaps, Senator Pacquiao was absent when Cabinet secretaries presented). Or kung hindi siya (Or if he is not) absent, he may have been preoccupied with something else,” Roque said.

Pacquiao named the DOH as the first state department that might be riddled with corruption after President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday challenged him to name corrupt workers in government.

Duterte’s challenge on Pacquiao came following the senator’s claim that corruption is getting worse under the current administration.

Roque said Duque was able to present the DOH’s expenses and submit reports to the Senate.

“Nanggaling na si Secretary Duque doon sa Senado. Nag-explain na po siya doon. At wala namang kasong naisampa matapos po ‘yung eskplanasyon ni Secretary Duque (Secretary Duque already faced the Senate. He explained there and no cases were filed after Secretary Duque’s explanation),” he said.

Roque also questioned Pacquiao’s failure to ask Duque when Senate held inquiries into the government’s Covid-19 response efforts.

“Hindi ko nga lang alam kung nandoon nga po siya noong naghi-hearing ang Senado at kung meron siyang mga tanong na ibinato kay Secretary Duque noong mga pagkakataon na ‘yun (I’m not sure if he attended the Senate hearing and asked questions to Secretary Duque at that time),” he said.

On Tuesday, Duque said he was “disheartened” over Pacquiao’s corruption allegations against his department.

Duque, in a statement, said his office submits itself to legislators’ inquiries as “part of the checks and balances” in government.

He added that the DOH “has always been transparent” about fund utilization.