The recommendation of Senator Panfilo Lacson on the filing of charges against PhilHealth officials for alleged irregularities within the corporation has been approved by the Senate committee of the whole.
The recommendation includes no less than 631 counts of malversation of public funds against officials of PhilHealth, including DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III, former CEO Ricardo Morales, Fund Management Sector SVP Renato Limsiaco Jr., Health Finance Policy Sector SVP Israel Pargas, and other workers allegedly involved in illegal activities.
“While the just adopted committee of the whole report contains recommendations involving the filing of charges against several PhilHealth officials including its chairman who is Sec Duque, it bears watching how the DOJ-led task force will treat those findings and recommendations now that the President has virtually cleared Duque of any wrongdoing,” Lacson stated.
Lacson included in the report the suggestion that Duque should heed the call of senators regarding his resignation due to failure of leadership in the health department. Senate President Vicente Sotto III claimed that Duque has the accountability on the illegal use of PhilHealth funds under the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).
“The President should talk to us and not just listen to the excuses. Better yet, ES should have the President read the Senate report,” Sotto urged.
“Perhaps the President is not aware of the facts… All of those who are aware of the illegal transactions are answerable to Art. 217 of the Revised Penal Code whether one signed or not. All the more if you are the Chairman of the Board governing the agency,” Sotto added.
The said Senate report has already been adopted and is awaiting action from the Chief Executive. – Report from Eunice Samonte
