The relatives of Dengvaxia victims on Monday filed plunder and graft charges against the brother of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III before the Ombudsman over a lease contract between Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and the Duques’ family-owned corporation.
In a joint supplemental complaint-affidavit, Ariel Hedia and spouse Ruby, Darwin Bataan and spouse Merlyn, Sonia Guerra, Liberty Ganzore, Raul Galoso and spouse Elloly, Raymond Ancheta, Maria Cecilia Torres, Danilo Bautista and spouse Sheryl, and Nelson and spouse Edna Santos urged Ombudsman Samuel Martires to also hold lawyer Gonzalo Duque culpable for the “lease agreement with PhilHealth more than 20 years ago.”
“Further research disclosed that Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque, the brother of respondent Dr. Duque III, was appointed as a commissioner of the Social Security Commission [System] in 2017,” the complaint says.
“Respondent Dr. Francisco T. Duque III, conspiring with respondent Atty. Gonzalo T. Duque has taken advantage of his official position, authority, relationship, connection or influence to unjustly enrich himself or themselves at the prejudice of the Filipino people.”
The complainants told the Ombudsman that “it [PhilHealth lease] did not happen recently” based on Gonzalo Duque’s admission over a radio interview.
They anchored their complaint on the revelation of Senator Panfilo Lacson that Duque III was a stockholder of EMDC with a paid-up capital of P61,535,000 in Tapuac District, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and that he owned 13,268 shares of stock worth P13,268,000 in subscribed capital.
On June 21, the complainants filed a consolidated complaint of plunder and graft against Duque III for his alleged failure to “divest ownership of his substantial stock interests at the Educational and Medical Development Corp.[EMDC].”
Lacson had said PhilHealth Region 1 was a tenant of the building belonging to EMDC, whose officials included Duque and his siblings.