MANILA, Philippines — The Senate resolution filed Thursday by 14 senators calling for the immediate resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III received polarizing responses the same day from the Filipino public.
While some welcomed the demand as a necessary step so the Philippines can proceed with efforts to contain the local coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, others are saying that the involved senators are merely using Duque as a scapegoat to divert criticism from the administration.
Related Stories
While Francisco Duque has definitely proven himself stubborn and incompetent in handling this crisis and he should be held accountable, he is merely a symptom of an entire incompetent and militarist system of governance.
Duque is not the only one that needs to step down.— Philip Jamilla (@pmjamilla) April 16, 2020
The demand for Duque to resign is justified; but without asking the same accountability from the Chief Executive (i.e. President), this is mere scapegoating. They want a significant head to roll, high enough but not too high.
— ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? (@MahikaRealismo) April 16, 2020
The flawed militaristic approach PH used to address this HEALTH CRISIS shouldn't be attributed to Duque alone. Let him resign while the President, who ordered the use of this faulty strategy in the first place, should be held accountable as well! https://t.co/wiqr8Bk2Ow
— Shari Niña Oliquino (@ShariOliquino) April 16, 2020
TAPOS NA EASTER SUNDAY, PERO NGAYON LANG NABUHAY SILA BATO, LAPID, AT REVILLA.
No matter how many times they ask for Duque to resign, but still keep pandering to Gongdi—it'll all be for nothing.
Duque is just the messenger.
Cut the source, & end the problem of incompetency!???? pic.twitter.com/E6uyXUT7gK— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) April 16, 2020
Opposition Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said that he supports Senate Resolution 362 but did not elaborate on why he was not included among those who signed and filed the document.
“We support the resolution...Mahigit dalawang buwan na ang nakalipas, pero wala pa rin kaming nakitang pagbabago sa makupad at malabong pagpapatupad ng mga anti-COVID effort. Napigilan sana ang pagkalat ng COVID,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
(Two months have elapsed but we have yet to see any change of the slow and vague implementation of anti-COVID efforts. We could have stopped the spread of COVID by now.)
University of the Philippines political science professor Jan Robert Go, however, said that Duque alone cannot be faulted for lapses in the government's COVID-19 strategy.
“Sure, Duque is accountable, but the decisions of the health secretary has the blessings of the chief executive. That is an inescapable accountability that this demand for Duque to resign glosses over. Make them all accountable,” the political analyst posted on social media.
Sure, Duque is accountable, but the decisions of the health secretary has the blessings of the chief executive. That is an inescapable accountability that this demand for Duque to resign glosses over. Make them all accountable.
— Jan Robert R Go ??? (@WuAnping) April 16, 2020
He said that the administration COVID-19 action plan was “not only Duque’s work,” bringing up the role of military generals in its implementation.
Presidential peace adviser and former Armed Force of the Philippines chief of staff, Carlito Galvez Jr., was designated in March as the chief implementer of the "Philippines' declared national policy against COVID-19."
RELATED: Peace adviser Galvez is chief implementer of COVID-19 action plan
Duque's position on China was also said to be merely echoing Duterte's pronouncements.
The health secretary’s warning against imposing a flight ban between the Philippines and China during the January 29 "Question Hour" with the House of Representatives was listed as one of the reasons for the resignation call in Senate Resolution 362.
The same day, the president told reporters that he is not yet willing to ban flights between the country and China.
“Not yet at this time. As a matter of fact, there is no known transmission from human to human na galing (originating in) China...Mahirap ‘yang ano — sabihin mo (That’s difficult because) you suspend everything because they are not also suspending theirs and they continue to respect the freedom flights that we enjoy in their country,” Duterte said in an interview.
Meanwhile, blogger and newspaper columnist Tonyo Cruz said that senators appealing for Duque's resignation have just as much culpability for the country's COVID-19 policy.
“Senators cannot wash their hands of their culpability for Duterte's coronavirus response. They approved the emergency powers law. They tolerate the prioritization of fascist solutions. Some turn PPE shortages into opportunities for patronage and epal. One even violated ECQ.”
Also: Senators did not give Duque special powers. They gave special powers to Duterte, along with P275-billion.
— Tonyo Cruz (@tonyocruz) April 16, 2020
Hoping senators perform their duty to check how the president uses those special powers and those public funds. Ang dami niyong ebas kunwari pero pro-Duterte naman.
RELATED: Senate okays emergency powers for Duterte in fight vs COVID-19 outbreak
Malacañang has since vouched for Duque amid calls for his resignation.
"As I have been repeatedly saying in the past, every Cabinet member serves at the pleasure of the President and until they are fired by the President, the President continues to have full trust and confidence in them," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing.
"We do not have any position (on the resignation calls). We do not have anything to do with these initiatives seeking the resignation of the secretary of health.”