The Department of Health (DOH) today disclosed that the allegedly anomalous flu-testing machine deal exposed by a labor group over the weekend is already being investigated by the agency since August this year. “We are not clueless about it and, as a matter of fact, the DOH has already started its investigation as early as August when the Filipino-owned firm Macare complained about it. It is now being investigated by our Integrity Development Committee (IDC),” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
The health chief said that the DOH-IDC is investigating the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and all its officials and personnel, including its director, Dr. Remigio Olveda, who were involved in the procurement of the said flu-testing machines.
Secretary Duque said that it is not correct to blame the DOH regarding this alleged anomalous transaction because although the RITM is under the wings of the DOH, like all state-owned hospitals, it has its own procuring entity.
“Because it has autonomy to transact financially, the RITM and its officials went on with this business deal all by themselves. Now, with the DOH-IDC on board investigating them, I am positive that we will soon know all the details behind this,” Duque said.
“It is too soon and premature for everyone to allege any anomaly. We have already started the investigation and we assure the public that there will be no sacred cows in this investigation and I will let the ax fall on the guilty person, whoever he might be,” Duque said.
The health chief said that if found guilty, RITM officials will face suspension, dismissal or whatever forms of punishment the IDC deems fit.
Flu-testing machines, although of a different type from Roche’s are used by the RITM and three other laboratories to confirm suspect A(H1N1) cases.
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