Harry Roque will not resign from his post despite various groups’ demands for him to step down due to his behavior.
“Unfortunately, only the president can fire me, and only the president can fire [Health Secretary Francisco Duque III],” he said.
It may be recalled that Philippine College of Physicians President Dr. Maricar Limpin said that Duterte should remove Harry Roque. She added the spokesperson should also apologize to the healthcare workers.
She also stressed that the cases will increase even more if the government continues to ease the restrictions while the numbers do not improve.
“Talagang uncalled for and this is an act that is not expected from a government official,” said Limpin, who was one of the recipients of Roque’s wrath.
“The president should actually remove him from office. Ang spokesperson, dapat malumanay. Hindi dapat ‘yung ganyan na mga outburst… It’s a disservice to the president ‘yung ginawa ni Secretary Roque.”
Roque had earlier said that the IATF meetings were secret. They debated what quarantine restrictions would be lowered in Metro Manila and other parts of the country as the pandemic intensified.
Harry Roque: Only the president can fire me
Roque’s defense, his head heats up because hungry people affected by the left, and right COVID-19 restrictions have to work. The Philippine College of Physicians President Dr. Maricar Limpin decided to return Manila to General Community Quarantine. But, Roque said, “he only speaks for the hungry” who are “voiceless” at IATF meetings.
He has since apologized for being “emotional,” which many see as verbal abuse of suffering healthcare workers, but will not apologize for his message.
“Kinukumpirma ko po na tayo po’y naging emosyonal, pasensya naman po kayo, tao lamang, doon sa rekomendasyon ng dalawang doktor… na mag-impose ng hard [enhanced community quarantine] lockdown [sa Metro Manila],” Harry Roque said.
Meanwhile, localities in the National Capital Region (NCR) will first be subjected to a single alert level once the implementation of the granular lockdown in the region begins, which is the government’s new COVID-19 policy.
This Monday, the government is set to announce the granular lockdown guidelines to be implemented in NCR on September 16, 2021.
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