BUKAS na si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte na palitan ang kontrobersyal na pinuno ng Department of Health.
Ito ay matapos hayagang tanungin ng Pangulo si OCTA Research Fellow Fr. Nicanor Austriaco kung handa itong palitan si Health Secretary Francisco Duque III bilang bagong health secretary.
“I would be happy to appoint you as a Secretary of Health if that is okay with you,” ayon kay Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang Talk to the People, Lunes ng gabi matapos magsagawa ng presentasyon si Austriaco ukol sa Omicron variant.
Bilang tugon, magalang na tinanggihan ni Austriaco ang nasabing alok.
“No po. Secretary Duque is doing a fine job po. He is a Thomasian po,” ayon kay Austriaco.
Muli ay iginiit ni Pangulong Duterte kay Austriaco ang kanyang alok na maging susunod na Health secretary.
“He (Duque) has shown a desire to really rest after all this ruckus against him. I’ve been forcing him (Duque) to stay but he would be happy to give way to you,” ani Pangulong Duterte.
Kaagad namang sinusugan ni Duque ang sinabi ng Pangulo sabay sabing “Yes. Mr. President. To another Thomasian.”
Si Austriaco, isang Dominican priest at molecular biologist, ay bahagi ng grupo na nagde- develop ng kauna- unahang Filipino-made COVID-19 vaccine ng Pilipinas. (CHRISTIAN DALE)
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