The appointment of former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan to the Department of Health (DOH) was like a “slap in the face” to health workers, a member of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives said on Monday, Oct. 24.
House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro had this to say a day after the DOH confirmed Cascolan’s appointment as one of the agency’s undersecretaries.
Cascolan, who served as PNP chief from September 2020 to November 2020, replaced DOH undersecretary Roger Tong-an.
He joined the other DOH undersecretaries namely Lilibeth David, Carolina Vidal-Taino, Abdullah Dumama, Kenneth Ronquillo, Nestor Santiago, and Maria Francia Laxamana.
“Gen. Cascolan's appointment is like a slap on the face of dedicated and qualified health care practitioners who were by-passed for the position,” Castro said.
READ: Ex-PNP Chief Cascolan appointed as new DOH undersecretary
The opposition lawmaker could not help but express disappointment and disbelief over Cascolan’s appointment, questioning his qualifications to take the DOH portfolio.
“What is Gen.Cascolan's qualification for the health portfolio anyway? Mamanmanan ba nya ang mga progresibong health workers groups o babarilin ba nya ang Covid virus (Would he closely watch the progressive health workers or shoot the Covid-19 virus)?," Castro asked.
The Makabayan solon noted Cascolan’s background as one of the police officers who was part of the “Oplan Double Barrel” operations contrary to the country’s need of “competent and trustworthy” health secretary.
READ: ‘Health not a priority of the admin’, says solon
Oplan Double Barrel was the PNP’s flagship program during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.
"Malacañang should reconsider Gen. Cascolan's DOH appointment and would be better off by appointing a full time Health secretary now,” Castro said.
“Mr. Marcos is saying that we need to normalize the situation now, immediiately appointing a health secretary would be a step in achieving normalization but definitely not appointing a general to the Health department," she added.