Task Force PhilHealth submits report to Duterte on September 14

MANILA, Philippines — The multi-agency task force formed to investigate alleged irregularities in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is expected to submit its recommendations to President Duterte next week.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, head of the task force, said the body was expected to finish interviewing resource persons last Monday.

“Starting tonight (Sept. 7) and the rest of the week, we will be consolidating and analyzing all the information and evidence that we have gathered through seven hearings conducted by the task force since we formed it upon your instructions,” Guevarra said at a meeting of the government’s pandemic task force at Malacañang last Monday.

“So by Sept. 14, Mr. President, that’s on Monday, we should be able to submit to you our report and our recommendations, including the possible filing of administrative and/or criminal cases against persons in PhilHealth who we shall find to be probably responsible for certain anomalies or irregularities,” he added.

Guevarra said members of the task force like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) would continue building up cases against individuals involved in irregularities.

“What we did during our hearings was basically to get a bird’s eye view, an overview of the problems... (in) PhilHealth. But the matter of building up actual cases will probably require more time because we have got to gather the actual evidence, procure the necessary witnesses to support the complaints,” Guevarra said.

“We are hoping that we’ll be able to file a few of these cases before we submit our report to you or maybe even after. We’ll just recommend in our report to you the filing of these cases,” he said.

“But the actual filing may happen, Mr. President, after the submission of the report because of this need to make sure that any complaint that we are going to file will be backed up by competent evidence,” he added.

Guevarra said members of the body would continue conducting a joint investigation so that a proper buildup of cases can be done.

Other members of the task force are the Office of the Ombudsman, Civil Service Commission, Office of the Executive Secretary and Palace Undersecretary Melchor Quitain.

Among the irregularities that have reportedly left PhilHealth bleeding are the padding of hospital claims to the health insurer, the buying of allegedly overpriced coronavirus test kits and information technology equipment and the unauthorized release of funds to hospitals that have not recorded coronavirus cases. PhilHealth officials have denied involvement in anomalies. Late last month, Duterte accepted the resignation of PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales and appointed former National Bureau of Investigation chief Dante Gierran as his replacement.

The Senate has recommended the filing of criminal cases against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Morales and other PhilHealth officials over the alleged anomalies.

Despite the recommendation, Duterte said he still trusts Duque and that the health chief should not resign from his post.

Humbled

Assured of continued support from Duterte, Duque vowed to work even harder despite calls for him to resign.

Duque said he is overwhelmed by the full trust and support given to him by the President.

“I am overwhelmed. Our President’s continued trust and support inspires us to work even harder,” Duque posted on Twitter.

The health chief also expressed his gratitude to DOH officials and employees for tirelessly working despite the prevailing risks from the pandemic.

At a meeting Monday night with the President and other Cabinet members, Duque aired his frustration over the Senate’s recommendation to file charges against him, being PhilHealth board chairman.

The health chief said he suffered sleepless nights as he found it unacceptable being implicated in the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) controversy.

“Yong mga pumirma (Those who signed), they were not recommended for filing of cases. Yong hindi pumirma ang dinadawit (Those who did not sign were the ones implicated),” he said, calling the development “the height of injustice and unfairness.”

The STAR obtained a copy of a PhilHealth resolution ratifying the implementation of IRM. The document showed Duque was absent and unable to sign when it was approved last March.

Following congressional inquiry into the controversy, PhilHealth suspended the adoption of IRM, one of the alleged sources of corruption in the agency.

The President said he heard stories that Duque was planning to resign, but decided to let the health chief stay.

“I have full trust in you. As of now there is an investigation, (just) let it be,” Duterte said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the entire DOH also wants Duque to stay on as chief. “In this situation amid a pandemic, it is not really proper or appropriate to have a change in leadership,” she said in English and Filipino in a radio interview.

“We have always stood by the secretary. He’s never been remiss in giving us direction and leadership. We witnessed how he led the response to COVID-19,” she said.

She said Duque’s leadership is now bearing fruit as the healthcare system is loosening up, indicating good response to the pandemic.  – Mayen Jaymalin