Duterte backs Duque amid PhilHealth scandal

President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed full trust in Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, telling him not to resign amidst calls for his ouster due to alleged billion-peso anomalies within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, however, stated that Duque has been "deceiving" the President and the public by insisting he had no hand in the irregularities, particularly the controversial cash advances under the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).

Sotto argued that as the non-voting chairman of the PhilHealth Board of Directors, Duque is accountable for the corporation's operations as it is mandated by law to be governed by the board.

The Senate adopted its Committee of the Whole's report recommending corruption charges against Duque, ex-PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales, and other senior officials for "improper and illegal implementation" of the IRM, "malversation of public funds," and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra previously stated that the inter-agency task force investigating PhilHealth would focus solely on evidence, and was set to submit its report to President Duterte by September 14.