PRRD Vows To Penalize Corrupt PhilHealth Officials Under PNoy Administration

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, August 10, said he would go after corrupt officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) involved in stealing billions of pesos of the state insurer’s funds, the Philippine News Agency reported.

“Huwag kayong magkakamali itong PhilHealth. Sabi ko yayariin ko kayong lahat, maniwala kayo,” President Duterte said in a late-night public address in Davao City, adding that the “innocent” PhilHealth officials should just keep working.

“Iyong mga inosente naman, wala kayong dapat i-ano, tahimik lang kayo at continue working,” he said.

President Duterte further said that while corrupt PhilHealth officials might have eluded being caught during the previous administration, he was certain that his Cabinet members would help get rid of them. 

“And with the help of mga Cabinet members ko, hindi na lang --- hindi ko na lang ipagyabang but these are people also… Simple lang. Why? Why are they really helping me to get rid of you? Because simply they love their country,” he said.

On Friday, the President signed a memorandum designating the Department of Justice (DOJ) to create a task force to investigate “massive corruption” within the PhilHealth. 

 

The task force is also mandated to make an audit of the PhilHealth finances and conduct lifestyle checks on the state insurer’s officials and employees.

Under the terms of the President's directive, during the course of the investigation, if warranted, the panel may recommend to President Duterte the imposition of preventive suspension on any PhilHealth official to ensure the unhampered conduct of the investigation. 

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Members of the task force include the Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, the Office of the Executive Secretary, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Office of the Special Assistant to the President.

Earlier, resigned PhilHealth anti-fraud legal officer Thorsson Montes Keith claimed that around PHP15 billion of the agency’s funds have been allegedly pocketed by PhilHealth officials.

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros denies the allegations and branded as “fake news” of her involvement in anomalies hounding PhilHealth, owing to her previous stint at the state insurer as board member.

“Siguro dahil malakas akong kritiko ng presidente, at wala na sila mabato sa akin, kaya kahit ilang taon na ako wala sa PhilHealth, cleared ng Commission on Audit, cleared ng PhilHealth mismo, patuloy pa rin ang pagpapakalat ng fake news sakin sa social media, ng mga fake news peddlers,” the lady senator said in an interview with radio station dzBB. 

READ: Risa Hontiveros Using PhilHealth Contributions For Self-Promotion In 2016 Elections 

Source: PNA | INQUIRER