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Ombudsman Samuel Martires clarifies, nonetheless, that Duque’s clearance in his administrative case will not have an effect on his pending graft case
MANILA, Philippines – The Workplace of the Ombudsman has cleared former Division of Well being (DOH) secretary Francisco Duque III in his administrative case associated to the “irregular” switch of P41-billion DOH funds throughout the pandemic.
The Ombudsman, in a 10-page decision, granted Duque’s movement for reconsideration on the Ombudsman decision that discovered him responsible of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the very best curiosity of the service.
Duque was cleared in his administrative case attributable to lack of jurisdiction. The Ombudsman defined that the executive criticism was solely filed towards Duque on August 15, 2023, or after he already left his put up on June 30, 2022.
“Right here, there isn’t a denying that Duque’s separation from service coincided with the top of President Rodrigo Duterte’s time period of workplace on 30 June 2022. Such separation was a obligatory consequence of the coterminous nature of his appointment as DOH Secretary,” the Ombudsman mentioned in its newest decision.
As a result of reversal of the responsible ruling on the executive case, the Ombudsman additionally put aside the penalties of forfeiture of retirement advantages and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in authorities towards Duque.
Nonetheless, the identical ruling doesn’t apply to former Procurement Service of the Division of Price range and Administration (PS-DBM) chief Christopher Lao, Duque’s co-accused, in keeping with Ombudsman Samuel Martires. Not like Duque, he mentioned Lao didn’t increase the difficulty of jurisdiction.
Martires additionally clarified that the dismissal of the executive case won’t have an effect on the pending graft case towards Duque and Lao.
In August this yr, the Ombudsman filed the graft case towards Duque and Lao with the Sandiganbayan in relation to the controversial switch of P41.4 billion in DOH funds to Lao’s workplace in 2020 for procurement of COVID-19 provides.
In line with the Ombudsman, Duque and Lao allegedly induced harm to the federal government because the transaction charged a 4% service charge, which totaled P1.659 billion. The Ombudsman prosecutors added that Duque acted in dangerous religion when he accepted the fund switch and when Lao accepted the cash even when the PS-DBM didn’t have the provides wanted by the DOH.
Final month, the police arrested Lao in Davao Metropolis. – Rappler.com
