THE Office of the Ombudsman recommended the filing of criminal charges against former Health secretary Francisco Duque and former Budget undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao over the alleged illegal transfer of P41 billion in procurement funds for equipment and other items during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a 49-page decision issued on May 6 and signed on May 8 by Ombudsman Samuel Martires, the special panel of investigators also found Duque and Lao guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service.In a copy of the recommendation obtained by The Manila Times, the Ombudsman ordered both Duque and Lao to be dismissed from government service with the forfeiture of all their retirement benefits and disqualification from reemployment.
The Ombudsman found that not all fund transfers involved the procurement of common use supplies and equipment , as it included other items such as cadaver bags, mechanical ventilators and nucleic acid extraction machines that were not classified as CSE.It also said that Duque admitted during the hearing that the reason the money was moved to the PS-DBM was for it to purchase or procure the medical supplies and equipment on behalf of the DoH, with the PS-DBM being its 'procuring entity.
Lao Face Criminal Raps Over Covid Fund Mess
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