PhilHealth

Robredo calls for suspension of PhilHealth execs while probes ongoing

Rappler.com

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(UPDATED) Vice President Leni Robredo says suspending PhilHealth officials would show the government is serious in fighting corruption

Vice President Leni Robredo said officials involved in recently reported anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) should be suspended while various probes are being conducted.

This way, the investigations could proceed smoothly, said the Vice President.

“Ganoon naman iyong nangyayari, ‘di ba? Kapag may ongoing investigations, iyong mga people responsible ay dapat sana ma-suspend muna, para hindi ma-compromise iyong integrity ng investigations,” she told co-host Ely Saludar in their weekly radio show on Sunday, August 9.

(That’s what happens, right? When there are ongoing investigations, the people responsible should be suspended for the meantime, so that the integrity of the investigations would not be compromised.)

The Vice President added that this move would show the government is serious in fighting corruption. With the PhilHealth officials suspended, she explained, investigators like those from the National Bureau of Investigation would have easier access to documents related to the probe.

Last week, both the Senate and the House of Representatives conducted inquiries on allegations surrounding the alleged misuse of PhilHealth funds. These came into light through whistleblowers like former anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith, who said PhilHealth senior officials may have pocketed P15 billion worth of funds.

Another official, PhilHealth board member Alejandro Cabading, also detailed irregularities in the agency’s budget for information and communications technology projects.

PhilHealth and its executives have denied the allegations.

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President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, August 7, ordered the Department of Justice to form a task force to look into the allegations.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra vowed to speed up investigations into Philhealth anomalies.

“Given the limited period to submit a report with recommendations for legal action, we shall give preferential attention to the investigation of alleged irregularities that could be reasonably be completed within the given time frame,” Guevarra said. 

“I will request the rest of the task force members to identify these ongoing investigations  that may be actually expedited and completed within the period,” he added.

Ahead of the next Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 11, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Morales and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Arnel de Jesus have informed senators they would not be able to attend due to health concerns.

Meanwhile, public policy think tank Infrawatch PH pushed for a pause or moratorium in the collection of PhilHealth remittances from its members, until there is “policy clarity on reforms relating to PhilHealth’s leadership and fund life.”

“Government should step in to plug the leaks and change the agency’s top management,” said Terry Ridon, the group’s convenor and former chief of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, in a statement on Sunday.

“If this means a new round of subsidies, then so be it. Members should not be made to pay for fraud, but government should hold to account those who perpetrated the fraud,” added Ridon. – Rappler.com

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