Then Health Secretary Francisco Duque III attends a House hearing on August 28, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — Like former Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, the country’s former health chief has also posted bail for charges of violating the anti-graft law.

In a message to ABS-CBN News, former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he posted bail last September 4 “immediately after finding out about the filing of the case before the Sandiganbayan.”

“I will be pursuing remedies available to me to question the resolution of the Ombudsman, not only in the Sanganbayan, but also with the Supreme Court,” Duque said.

Duque and Lao were investigated for alleged irregularities following the DOH’s transfer of P41 billion to the Procurement Services of the DBM to purchase much-needed COVID-19 supplies during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duque also clarified then that getting the services of the PS-DBM in procuring medical supplies like face shields and face masks were necessary because the country was faced with a health emergency.

The former health chief, meanwhile, declined to comment on Lao’s arrest.

Lao was arrested by authorities on Wednesday morning while on his way to court to post bail.

He was briefly detained at the CIDG Regional Forensic Unit 11 in Davao City but was released after posting bail worth P90,000.