'Task Force PhilHealth' invites agency officials for Friday briefing
MANILA, Philippines — The high-level, inter-agency task force investigating corruption allegations surrounding the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will invite officials from the state insurer on Friday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.
Guevarra, chair of the panel, said members of the penal met on Monday and discussed organizational matters and operational strategy of the task force. The meeting was also for the members to determine issues related to PhilHealth that they can finish within the 30-day deadline set by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“We have scheduled a conference with the other members of the task force on Friday afternoon. We are presently inviting certain resources persons to give us a briefing on alleged irregularities at PhilHealth,” the DOJ chief told reporters on Wednesday.
Guevarra declined to identify who will be the resources persons on Friday’s meeting saying they are still in the process of inviting them.
In the wake of another corruption controversy surrounding the state insurer, Duterte ordered on Friday the creation of a high-level task force to probe PhilHealth and its regional offices. This time, the executives of the state insurer are accused of “pocketing” some P15 billion from the agency’s funds through fraudulent schemes—a claim that Morales denied.
The task force will have members from the Office of the Ombudsman, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and Office of the Special Assistant to the President.
Guevarra has 30 days from the creation of the panel to hand in his office’s findings and recommendations, including proposed legal actions against PhilHealth officials involved in corruption.
As the task force’s investigation progresses, the Congress also resumed its legislative probes into corruption allegations against the state insurer.
On Monday, the Senate continued its hearing where the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission asked the removal of all PhilHealth officials. Commissioner Greco Belgica told the Senate that the investigation into PhilHealth must reach the core of the problem, rather than just cut off its head.
"Everyone, from top to bottom, must face charges, face consequences, and must be replaced," the commissioner added in Filipino.
Belgica also warned that the P2 billion to 3 billion that the PhilHealth releases every week is susceptible to corruption. “And now, while we are at this hearing, the theft and pay-offs continues among those who steal because the system has not been changed," Belgica also said.
The PACC is part of “Task Force PhilHealth.” — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Bella Perez-Rubio
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