CEBU, Philippines - One of the two persons summoned by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) appeared in the office of NBI yesterday to turn over three of the 28 PhilHealth checks that were reported lost at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).
Bert Colong of the Cebu City Government Office of the Building Official (OBO) returned the three checks. He earlier admitted that he rediscounted six of the 28 checks “stolen” from the CCMC and tried to deposit it in his account.
“Kinsay di makuya-wan nga naapil naman ko ani. I am the victim here,” he told reporters.
Colong is considered a vital witness in tracing the fraud.
NBI 7 Director Ernesto Macabarri said that they are investigating the loss of the checks from the CCMC.
The NBI 7 would send the nine checks to their Manila office to verify the authenticity of the signatures of Dr. Myrna Go, CCMC.
Colong got the checks from a certain Concha Ruth Adlawan, who introduced herself as employee of Philhealth. Adlawan is tasked to pick up the checks from the CCMC so it could be stamped with Philhealth seal.
A total of P84, 000 was paid by Colong to Adlawan for the six checks. But the bank spotted the alterations on the checks when Colong tried to deposit it in his account, so the Land Bank of the Philippines rejected it.
The other officials summoned by the NBI were Mary Grace Lopez of the City Treasurer’s office and a representative from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
Lopez, a collector from the treasurer’s office, was the one who released the missing checks.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama had formed a team to determine the administrative liability of everyone involved. The investigating body will convene on Monday. — THE FREEMAN