Philippine Health Officials Under Probe for Virus Response
Philippine Health Officials Under Probe for Virus Response
(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines’ ombudsman is investigating Health Secretary Francisco Duque and other officials of his agency for alleged irregularities in the nation’s coronavirus response.
Duque will be probed for alleged lapses that led to deaths of medical workers and for “confusing and delayed” reporting of virus cases, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said in a statement Wednesday. Supposed delays in buying medical gears and in releasing financial benefits for infected health workers will also be investigated, he said.
The Department of Health will cooperate with the probe, Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at a televised briefing Wednesday. The agency has always been transparent with how it is buying medical equipment, giving out aid to health workers and verifying data on virus cases, she added.
Controversies on how the pandemic was handled have caused political outrage in other countries too including Brazil and the U.S. -- two worst-hit nations globally -- but few have acted against public officials so far. China was an exception. It ousted in February two most senior Communist Party officials in Hubei and its hard-hit capital, Wuhan, where the pathogen first emerged in end-December.
The Philippines, with a population of 108 million, has seen cases more than double in a month to over 27,200 while death toll crossed 1,100. It reimposed a lockdown this week on its central islands’ most populous Cebu City where a third of those tested were found infected with the coronavirus, while keeping the loose restrictions in the capital region.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.