Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa, June 13, 2023. Yummie Dingding, PPA pool/File 

MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday defended Health Secretary Ted Herbosa after he drew flak for posing with executives of a tobacco company in a photo during a recent Palace event.

The picture of Herbosa with the tobacco company execs, which was taken during a turnover ceremony of mobile health clinics from a tobacco company in Malacanang, was flagged by several groups that cited a DOH and Civil Service Circular restricting government officials from engaging with the tobacco industry. 

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that a single picture does not prove that the official is violating the law.

“Kung hindi po naman tumanggap ang DOH ng anumang donasyon mula sa tobacco company ay wala po tayong nakikitang anumang violation sa sinasabi nating batas or rule. At kung siya naman po ay nakapag-photo ops, hindi naman po ibig sabihin na siya ay nagba-violate na ng anumang batas,” Castro said.

“At kahit naman po siguro ang ibang tao, kung ikaw ay public servant at ikaw ay na-request-an kung puwedeng magpa-picture sa iyo – dapat maging gentleman ka, hindi naman ibig sabihin na ikaw ay nagpapa-photo ops ay ikasisira na po ng imahe ng DOH at ito ay makakasira din sa patakaran ng pamahalaan.”

Castro also defended the acceptance of donation from the tobacco company, which she said did not violate any law.

“Siyempre po kung ano po iyong sinasabi ng batas katulad po ng sinasabi nating rule na ang DOH ay hindi dapat na—para i-promote ang mga ganitong klaseng produkto at ito naman po ay susundin. Kung ito po ay nasa patakaran, wala po tayong iba-violate diyan. Pero kung may mga pagkakataon po na nagbibigay ng donasyon ang sinuman po at ito ay ikakabuti naman po ng pamahalaan basta walang violation ng anumang rules at batas ay hindi po tayo tatanggi sa anumang tulong na ibibigay ng private companies or ng sinumang ahensiya or ng organization,” she said.