Philippines' Duterte accused of stifling scrutiny in senate probes

FILE PHOTO: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte addresses the resident Filipino community at a convention hall in Singapore, April 28, 2018. REUTERS/Feline Lim/File Photo

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered members of his cabinet to get his consent before appearing at senate investigations, fuelling accusations from activists and some politicians of an attempt to stifle scrutiny.

Duterte gave the directive in a recorded televised address aired on Tuesday after he said senators probing his government's use of more than $1 billion in pandemic https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippine-health-ministry-says-no-corruption-13-bln-pandemic-funds-2021-08-14funds were using the hearings to further their political ambitions.