Palace: Ona extends leave

MANILA, Philippines - Health Secretary Enrique Ona extended his month-long leave of absence that expired yesterday.

A Malacañang official, however, said they are still unsure how long Ona would take his leave of absence but gave assurance it will not be “indefinite.”

“Many are asking if Secretary Ona has resigned. That’s not true. Ona has not submitted a letter of resignation,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told an informal news briefing, referring to reports the Department of Health chief has resigned.

Valte said Ona submitted the report required of him by President Aquino after which the health secretary decided to extend his leave of absence “to afford the President time to assess the contents of the report that he has submitted.”

Ona submitted his report last week.

It was upon the advice of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. that Ona extended his leave, Valte clarified.

“It was the ES (Ochoa) who said to extend the leave because we need time to assess the report.

“I checked for any documentation relative to a resignation and there’s none. I had the opportunity to speak with Secretary Ona and he said that he did not submit any resignation,” Valte said.

Valte added she had no information as to how long Ona would take the leave.

“However, I do know that it is not indefinite. It is not an indefinite leave. So let’s afford the President time to go over the report that was submitted by Secretary Ona.”

What is important is that Ona was able to comply with Aquino’s directive, and it is “now time for the President to assess the answers that have been given to him, and also to perhaps propound additional questions.

“The way that it works with the President is that he really has to go through it to see if the data that has been submitted to him sufficiently answers his questions,” Valte stressed.

Valte also advised the public against speculations regarding Ona.

“At this point, it would not be healthy to continue to speculate on the status when the matter is quite clear, and that we would encourage everyone to just afford the time for the assessment.”

Valte also denied reports Ona was at Malacañang last Thursday meeting with the President.

“They did not talk. When Ona submitted the report, the President was not around,” she said.

Aquino admitted earlier that he forced Ona to take a leave to prepare for questions on wide-ranging issues – from vaccination to the purported urgent need to rehabilitate the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

The RITM is where possible patients of Ebola virus may be treated. Ona was seeking P600 million for the renovation of the facility, when critics pointed out the immediate concern should be the prevention of entry of the fatal virus.