THE powerful Commission on Appointments yesterday deferred its vote on the nomination of Francisco Duque III as secretary of the Department of Health owing to questions over the implementation of the P3.5-billion government contract for the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
Although the vaccine was not implemented during the term of Duque, the CA committee on health chaired by Senator Gringo Honasan said it wanted more time to assess the secretary’s answers regarding the controversial vaccine.
“The fact that it [nomination hearing] was suspended means that we want to think about his responses to our questions. I’m not prepared to say that it’s already okay, that the commission was satisfied,” said Honasan.
He said the deliberations were temporarily halted because some issues must be pursued and studied, not so much with the oppositors to Duque’s appointment.
Three oppositions were filed against Duque’s confirmation before Honasan’s committee, but only two parties attended the hearing.
Dr. Nestor Dizon Jr., who was previously with the Quezon City health department, filed an opposition over his employment contract.
Dizon said he first raised the issue when Duque was still the chairman of the Civil Service Commission.
“It was an en banc decision. So, it’s not as if I’m being projected [as] a whimsical chairman who decides on the cases as that of Dizon,” Duque said in his defense.
Leon Peralta, chairman of the Anti-Trapo Movement, raised the technical malversation case against Duque, along with other former government officials over the alleged misuse of about P530 million in Overseas Workers Welfare Administration funds.
Duque in reply noted that the Supreme Court had already cleared his name after charges were dismissed by the Ombudsman.
“Now what is the reason for this [postponement]? The DoH and the secretary have tremendous manpower and other resources in its discretion and disposal, heavy responsibility so the thinking of the commission is that they should go slow,” said Honasan.
Sought for comment on the deferment of his appointment, Duque replied: “I cannot second guess the CA, whatever it is that they have… from my answers, there many questions… the time they need to make whatever decision is appropriate.”
Regarding the DOH dengue robe, Duque said they have letters to show that “we have inviting them, lets share data, lets share you know everything, and its logical to make sure that their findings and our findings complement [each other].”
“The objective here is to make sure you have solid case to file, and a solid case is determined by how well the evidence is put together, how clearly the pieces of evidence are put together.”
Sen. JV Ejercito said he believes Duque has a very high credibility and his integrity is beyond question.
“I can’t think of any other person to be at the helm right now especially now that the DOH is facing a big problem involving Dengvaxia vaccine which was given ti almost a million Filipino. children although it has not yet conclusion for its clinical trials,” the senator said.
“He is handling it quite well. He is very decent and nobody. can sa any bad criticisms about him,” stressed Ejercito.
“I think given the situation, he will be the best secretary to handle all of these challenges,” added the senator, who said he has known Duque since the administration of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Duque also served as Arroyo’s DOH secretary. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte in October last year, following the CA’s rejection of former secretary Paulyn Ubial.
Honasan also said the powerful bicameral commission wants to find out how Duque “plans to proactively address the Dengvaxia controversy.”
“One of the issues raised was”•the Dengvaxia was not priority that time but why was it implemented first. So, it should be prioritization. What was the immediate threat in terms of disease control? Those were the questions that should be answered thoroughly by Secretary Duque,” said Honasan.
Duque was asked about the independent investigation being conducted by the Public Attorney’s Office on the dengue vaccination program.
Earlier, PAO said that it has monitored a pattern on the deaths of some children who were vaccinated with the Dengvaxia. It also plans to file criminal, civil, and administrative charges next month over the program.
Due to this, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III questioned the authority of PAO in conducting the probe.
“Is PAO now part of the medical group? Isn’t it under the Department of Justice?” Sotto asked.
“The last time I heard, the PAO is under the DOJ (Department of Justice), not the DOH (Department of Health),” said Sotto.
“So, if we want to build a solid case like you mentioned, we charge you, set your foot down if you’re going to be Secretary of Health, set your foot down and make the DOH the lead into these investigations, especially scientific investigations,” he added.
Duque said the DOH has sent letters to the PAO inviting them (PAO) to “share data” but it has yet to respond.
“Because we’re one government…The objective is to make sure that we have a very solid case to file,” Duque said.
Before this, Sotto likewise inquired into PAO’s expertise in examining the bodies of alleged victims of Dengvaxia, which was administered to individuals, including children, under a DOH program that was first implemented during the past administration.
Duque explained that there are two experts of panel investigating the issue “• the technical experts and the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), which is set to release its report on Friday.
He said that as far as he knows, the PAO is representing the alleged victims of Dengvaxia vaccine.
“I guess the PAO’s agenda is to build a solid case which they hope to file in behalf of the parents of the victims,” Duque said.
“They are also doing a forensic analysis of exhumed bodies,” he added.
Duque said they had already sent letters to the PAO, requesting for its findings on the issue so they could submit it to the UP-PGH for cross-examination.
PAO chief Persida Acosta denied that they have no authority to carry out an investigation. She cited Department Order 792 issued by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II last December authorizing and directing the PAO to extend free legal assistance in civil, criminal, and administrative cases to all possible Dengvaxia-related injuries, illnesses and deaths.
The DOH stopped the government’s dengue immunization program on December 1 following Sanofi Pasteur’s announcement that the vaccine may increase the risk of hospitalization for dengue and severe dengue in those with no prior infection.
More than 830,000 children aged 9 and older from public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Cebu were vaccinated with Dengvaxia according to DOH.
In the same hearing, Duque and other health officials were confronted over the alleged existence of a “mafia” in the health department.
Honasan asked if there is any truth to the reported mafia or syndicate in the agency, saying the allegation could demoralize DOH employees.
“Your honor, as far as I am concerned “• and given that I am only in the DOH the second time for the last three months “• I see no documents nor evidence that would point out to the existence of a mafia in the DOH,” Duque said.
A former consultant with the DOH, Dr. Francis Cruz, earlier tagged former Health secretary Janette Garin and more than a dozen others of belonging to a so-called mafia that allegedly benefited from the “plunder” of P3.5 billion used to purchase the controversial Dengvaxia vaccines.