Acting DOH chief to step down if...

MANILA, Philippines - Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin promised to step down if she is found to be involved in the alleged P5-billion pork barrel anomaly linked to the defunct National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Garin denied receiving Nabcor funds when she was a lawmaker.

“I did not receive a single centavo from Nabcor,” she said.

Garin was implicated in the affidavits of former Nabcor officials Victor Cacal and Rhodora Mendoza, who exposed the alleged irregularities early this year.

Mendoza said she delivered P1 million each to Garin, then a lawmaker, and nine other politicians during the 2007 polls.

Garin said she had presented herself for investigation to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) when the controversy broke out a few months ago.

The accusations against her were malicious and baseless, she added.

Garin said she immediately called up Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to express her readiness to face an investigation when the alleged multimillion-peso anomaly came out again in several newspapers the other day.

“I volunteered myself for any investigation, but Secretary De Lima said she would summon me if the allegations have basis,” she said.

Garin said De Lima informed her of an apparent effort to link her to the Nabcor anomaly as a group of reporters interviewed her on the issue.

“But if the Department of Justice finds basis for the allegations, even if minimal, and I’m not worthy to head the DOH, I would immediately step down,” she said.

Garin said she has no intention to hang on to her post as secretary of health, and that she would return to being undersecretary as soon as Health Secretary Enrique Ona comes back from official leave.

“If Secretary Ona returns and nothing wrong is found in his decisions, I would immediately go back to being undersecretary,” she said.

“If ever Secretary Ona decides that he deserves a bigger break to spend more time with his family, I leave to it the discretion of our President to choose whoever can lead the department.”

Garin said she will only stay in the DOH if she would be given the confidence and trust of the majority of officials and employees.

Other DOH officials advised her to continue with her job of implementing health programs and not to be sidetracked by the issue, she added.

She was surprised to be named acting secretary after Ona was asked to take a month’s leave, she said.

Garin said the DOH shall decide whether officials would be suspended and charged based on the evidence presented.

“The committee will concentrate on the gathering of evidence, look if there were lapses committed in the procurement process, but they will not focus on personality,” she said.

At Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said Garin has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“Everybody enjoys presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” she said. “She is no exception and neither is Secretary Ona.”

Danger

Gabriela Rep. Emmerenciana de Jesus warned yesterday that the troubles at the DOH could hamper preparations against the possible entry of the Ebola virus.

Congress must review the real capacity of the DOH and local governments in stopping the threats of Ebola and other global contagion, she added.

De Jesus said the Alliance of Health Workers – a federation of health care unions – has exposed that the Ebola containment program is under-funded and a sham.

“Reports from nurses and doctors reveal a frightening fact that the hazardous materials suits that Secretary Ona boasted about are permeable to infectious fluids, and most likely would not give protection to crews who will wear this gear,” she said.

De Jesus said she will ask the House of Representatives committee on health to summon to a hearing “whoever is now heading the DOH” to explain the state of the agency’s preparations against the possible entry of the Ebola virus.

“The brewing debacle between Ona and the acting chief Garin for the plum post can render the DOH into a headless chicken while looming health crises are threatening millions of poor Filipinos,” she said. – With Paolo Romero, Alexis Romero