MANILA - Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. wants Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to stay amid a call of several senators for the latter to resign.
In a tweet, Locsin said Duque is still "the best man for the job."
“Duque is still the best man for the job; he has integrity to his marrow; I trust him; he is not hungry for anything but public service,” Locsin said.
On Thursday, at least 14 senators filed Senate Resolution No. 362 calling for Duque's resignation for his "failure of leadership" in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The senators cited the health chief's "lack of foresight and inefficiency" as grounds for his removal from office.
"Knowing fully well the danger posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the beginning of the year, Secretary Duque failed to put in place the necessary precautionary measures to lessen, if not at all prevent, the impact of this health crisis," said the resolution, a copy of which was obtained by ABS-CBN News.
But Locsin said the public health experts in the bureaucracy are the ones stalling rapid responses.
“Put one of them on top and we all die,” he said.
Teodoro Locsin Jr., Locsin says Duque should stay, Francisco Duque III, coronavirus Philippines updates, COVID-19 Philippines response, Senate resolution, Duque resignation