MANILA TIMES

AS he prepares fo his boxing bout this weekend, Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao has called on Filipinos to rally behind him in exposing corruption in government.

Pacquiao issued the call as Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, motu propio opened the preliminary hearing on the alleged deficiencies in the management of the Department of Health's (DoH) response funds against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), particularly on the alleged provision of healthcare workers' benefits on Wednesday.

Speaking in Filipino, Pacquiao said he and the Filipino people salute the Commission on Audit (CoA) for its "dedication and fulfillment of its sworn duty to expose possible corruption government agencies they've red-flagged may have".

In a statement from Las Vegas where he is scheduled to fight Yordenis Ugas on August 21, Pacquiao said those in government who would be found guilty "should be jailed so that the Filipino people whose lives were made difficult by corruption would be given justice".

He appealed to every Filipino to rally behind him in his fight to expose corruption in government agencies.

Meanwhile, amid a barrage of senators' queries on CoA's findings on the alleged mismanagement by the DoH of its P67-billion Covid-19 related response funds, Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd told the Senate blue ribbon committee on Wednesday that he was confused and did not know what was happening.

"Maraming psychiatrist dyan sa DoH. Pagamot ka muna ng psychiatrists (There are several psychiatrists there in DoH. Have yourself checked)," Gordon told Duque.

"I know it is stressful to work in government. Please make sure to get it done," he added.

Gordon then stressed that Duque is his friend but his loyalty is with the government and "my country.''