DOH Employees Demand Probe on Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa
An anonymous group claiming to be employees of the Department of Health (DOH) has urged the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa concerning a P1.29 billion unliquidated cash transfer to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The funds were reportedly intended for procuring vaccines and essential medicines.
The letter complaint, received by the Office of the Ombudsman Officer-in-Charge Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo on August 11, accuses Herbosa of Malversation of Public Funds, Falsification of Public Documents, violations of Procurement Laws, and breaches of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act. The group emphasized the importance of holding him accountable for these alleged infractions.
Identifying themselves as “concerned DOH employees,” the complainants chose to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation but expressed a strong commitment to uphold public trust and transparency.
Alleged Unliquidated Cash Transfers to UNICEF
The group cited the Commission on Audit (COA) Audit Query No. 2024-01, stating that the DOH released a total of P1,296,202,144.64 to UNICEF from February to July 30, 2024. Despite these funds remaining unliquidated, Herbosa allegedly pushed for a new procurement request amounting to P524,926,193.47 for additional vaccines from UNICEF.
They highlighted COA Circular No. 2012-001 and Department Memorandum No. 2023-0369, which explicitly forbid new fund releases if previous ones are still unsettled. The complainants also pointed out that the statutory deadline for liquidation was ignored, further complicating the issue.
Misclassification of Transactions Raises Concerns
Aside from delayed liquidation, the group accused Herbosa of misclassifying the cash advances to UNICEF. These advances were labeled as “Advances to Contractors,” whereas the complainants argued they should be recorded as “Due from NGOs/CSOs,” since UNICEF is an international third-party organization, not a contractor.
The group stressed this was not a minor clerical mistake but a deliberate act to mislead auditors, regulatory bodies, and the public. They wrote, “The intent to obscure the true accountability trail is evident—especially given the ongoing failure to liquidate these advances.”
Delays in Resolving Procurement Protests
Further allegations include excessive delays in addressing procurement protests, which have impacted the timely delivery of vaccines and medicines. The group referred to a COA report showing procurement protest delays ranging from 59 to 245 days, far exceeding the legally mandated seven-day resolution period.
While some protests were resolved, the complainants claimed that competitive suppliers were unfairly targeted, preventing them from obtaining timely decisions. They warned that Herbosa’s alleged favoritism undermines fair competition and public welfare.
According to the group, “His systematic neglect to act on the above procurement protest caused undue injury to the government and delayed the public’s access to essential vaccines. He acted with gross inexcusable negligence, if not evident bad faith, when he knowingly allowed critical vaccine procurements to stall.”
Calls for Investigation and Preventive Suspension
The anonymous DOH employees urged the Office of the Ombudsman to scrutinize documents from the DOH, UNICEF, and COA related to UNICEF transactions and procurements. They also requested that Herbosa and any officials involved be held responsible, though they did not specify other names.
Finally, the group recommended placing Herbosa under preventive suspension to safeguard the integrity of the investigation, prevent potential witness intimidation, and avoid tampering with documentary evidence.
DOH Awaits Official Response
When asked for comment, DOH Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Dr. Albert Domingo stated, “In accordance with due process and with the highest respect for the authority of the Ombudsman, we await official service before any comment or action.”
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