MANILA — A group of employees from the Department of Health (DOH) has filed graft, grave misconduct, and related complaints against Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Undersecretary Randy Escolango over the latter’s alleged appointment to multiple key positions within the agency.

In a report, it said that according to the complaint, Escolango’s concurrent roles as head of the Financial and Management Service and the Supply Chain Management Service, while also serving as chairperson of the Central Office Bids and Awards Committee-A (COBAC-A), allegedly violate Republic Act No. 12009 and its implementing rules and regulations.

The complainants argued that the arrangement improperly consolidated functions involving fund authorization, bid adjudication, and post-award supply monitoring under a single official.

As of press time, Herbosa had not issued a statement on the allegations.

The complaint stemmed from two Department Personnel Orders issued by Herbosa.

“By virtue of these DPOs, Respondent Secretary Herbosa granted Respondent Undersecretary Escolango direct, overarching executive control over the Financial and Management Service and the Supply Chain Management Service,” the complaint read.

“This dual configuration gives rise to an absolute, self-policing conflict of interest across the entire lifecycle of public funds,” it added.

The complainants further alleged that Herbosa and Escolango acted in bad faith by carrying out what they described as a “two-step regulatory manipulation” designed to bypass safeguards under Section 41.2.2 of the implementing rules of Republic Act No. 12009.

While acknowledging that the law allows senior finance officials to sit on procurement boards, the complaint maintained that it does not authorize the consolidation of separate accountability functions under one office.

“Constructing and operating a primary bidding committee under an institutional conflict of interest that explicitly violates Section 41.2.2 forms a patent, glaring, and inherent partiality,” the complaint stated.

“It ensures that any evaluation, technical report, or award recommendation issued by COBAC-A is structured to favor internal executive preferences and specific private contractors without independent fiscal verification,” it added.

The complainants also alleged that the arrangement granted certain private bidders “unwarranted benefit, advantage, and preference” while causing undue injury to the government and the public health sector, allegedly in violation of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.