Duterte to Duque: Respond to COA findings

By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to respond to the concerns raised by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the agency’s Covid-19 spending in 2020, his spokesman said.

The COA earlier flagged the DOH for various deficiencies in the handling of P67,323,186,570.57 Covid-19 funds.

In his virtual presser Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is “withholding judgement” until the health department has commented and the audit agency has come out with a final report.

“Ang instruction po ng presidente, sagutin ng mabuti ang mga observation ng COA. Iba kasi itong nature ng observation ng COA… Ang COA kasi isang constitutional body at talagang trabaho niyan na bantayan ang kaban ng bayan. So, importante na sagutin ng mabuti ang mga observation na ito,” according to Roque.

“Ang presidente naman is withholding judgment until after makasumite ng komento ang DOH at magkaroon ng final report ang COA… Ngayon po premature pa po. Sasagot pa lang ang DOH. The president is keen to read the answers dahil medyo mabigat ang obserbasyon,” he added.

In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the funds flagged by COA are accounted for and are all spent for the purchase of test kits and personal protective equipment, and payment for healthcare workers.

The post Duterte to Duque: Respond to COA findings first appeared on .

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)