The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Monday the criminal charges filed against Civil Service Commission Chairman Francisco Duque Jr. and Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral for alleged hoarding of medicines.

In a three-page decision approved by Ombudsman Maria Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez, the anti-graft body junked the case against Duque and Cabral due to the alleged failure of the complainants to substantiate their allegations.

Graft investigators had recommended that the case against the two officials and several other respondents dismissed for lack of merit.

The case against Duque was filed during his stint as Health Secretary while that of Cabral was lodged when she was Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary.

Also cleared was Dr. Roland Cortez, director of the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC).