Former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has posted bail in connection with charges of violating the anti-graft law. Duque confirmed in a message to ABS-CBN News that he posted bail on September 4, after learning about the case filed before the Sandiganbayan.
Duque, who faces allegations of irregularities related to the transfer of P41 billion from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) for COVID-19 supplies, said he plans to challenge the Ombudsman’s resolution in both the Sandiganbayan and the Supreme Court.
The former health chief defended the decision to use PS-DBM’s services, citing the urgency of the pandemic. He declined to comment on the recent arrest of former DBM Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who was also involved in the investigation and posted bail after being briefly detained in Davao City.