The Office of the Ombudsman, as part of the ongoing probe on COVID-19 government response, is summoning documents from the secretaries of the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Health to find out where the funds for the local COVID-19 response went.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires revealed that his office is sending subpoenas to DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Friday.
Martires said in focus are the special allotment release orders for cash benefits extended to the families of frontliners who got infected with the
“There are some documents we want to get from the Department of Health which is the subject of subpoena,” Martires said.
“Gusto naming malaman kung saan ginamit itong pera, gaano katagal nabigyan ng ayuda ‘yung mga pamilya ng namatayan na mga frontliners, those who were inflicted by the virus... Nasaan ang pondo, nasaan ‘yung pera ngayon?“
[We want to know where the money was spent, how long it took to provide aid to the families of frontliners who died after they were inflicted with the virus… Where’s the money and where did it go?]
The government has spent ₱354 billion for COVID-19 response as of June 9, according to DBM data.
