The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) denounced the appointment of retired Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Camilo Pancratius Cascolan as the new Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary.

In a statement released on Sunday night, Oct. 23, AHW said Cascolan's appointment was a “huge insult“ especially to health experts who are most qualified to lead the DOH.

It said that President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s appointment of a retired PNP Chief showed his “extreme lack of concern for the lives, health, safety and welfare of the health workers and the entire Filipino nation.“

The group claimed that Cascolan was one of the officials behind the ‘Oplan Tokhang’ or the bloody drug war campaign that has killed thousands of victims during the administration of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

AHW asserted that they prefer to work with an Undersecretary that has “clean track record“ and not a “red-tagger and one whose hands are not tainted with the bloody drug war and one who truly upholds the rule of justice.“

It added that the group wanted an “expert in eradicating deadly and infectious diseases“ and not an “expert in violating human rights and extrajudicial killings. “

The group also said Cascolan’s appointment contradicts the mandate of the health department of ensuring the “provision of quality service that every Filipino people deserves and in upholding the quality of life, respect for human dignity and protect the health and safety of the health workers and the Filipino people.“

It underscored that as the health situation in the country deteriorates, there is an immediate need for “free, scientific and comprehensive health approach in combatting diseases“ rather than a “militarist approach.“

AHW urged Marcos to appoint a DOH Secretary who will prioritize the health of Filipinos above any circumstances.

“A DOH chief who is determined to protect and defend the health workers against discrimination, intimidation and violence including cases of red-tagging and killings. One who values the justness of the health workers call for salary increase, better benefits and humane working conditions,“ it added.

The health department confirmed on Sunday night that Marcos has appointed Cascolan as the new DOH Usec.

Cascolan previously served as the undersecretary of the Office of the President (OPS) after he retired as the PNP Chief in 2020.