Inter-agency task force to probe PhilHealth mess

By Fernan Angeles

MALACAÑANG is creating an inter-agency task force to probe the allegations of anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President ordered the formation of a task force that would see the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Office of the Executive Secretary, Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, meticulously investigating on every detail of the reported anomalies at the state insurer.

The task force, Roque added, was also told to do lifestyle checks and an audit of PhilHealth’s finances, recommend to the President the preventive suspension of officials, and bring the perpetrators to justice.

They were given 30 days from its formation to submit to Malacañang its findings and recommendations, which shall include the proposed legal actions against officials and employees found responsible for corrupt activities or anomalies in PhilHealth.

“Dati rati po, paulit-ulit nag-iimbestiga ang Kamara po at ang Senado wala pong nangyayari kasi wala pong kapangyarihan ng preventive suspension,” Roque said in a televised briefing.

“So, mga kababayan huwag po kayong mag-alala, nakinig po ang ating Presidente at umakto bagamat wala pa pong mapapatunayan sa mabilis na panahon meron naman pong preventive suspension nang mapangalagaan ang kaban ng PhilHealth.”

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra is taking the lead in forming the high-level task force “immediately” pursuant to the instruction from Malacañang.

“We shall base our actions on such facts as may be established and such conclusions as may be reasonably inferred therefrom,” Guevarra said.

The President’s decision came in the wake of allegations that PhilHealth officials were able to steal some P15 billion from the state health insurer through several fraudulent schemes.

PhilHealth denied its officials pocketed the funds, insisting that what former anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith said during a Senate hearing had no basis adding they would file a libel complaint against Keith over the latter’s allegations.

At the Senate hearing on Tuesday, PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales denied he has been protecting the supposed corrupt officials within his agency but admitted anomalies do happen at the agency. He however said he has yet to gather evidence that could stand in court against the supposed corrupt PhilHealth officials.

Malacañang in its statement hinted that the President is not bent on firing the retired Army general at the helm of PhilHealth, unless there is proof that he is involved in corrupt activities.