President Rodrigo R. Duterte approved the recommendation of Task Force PhilHealth to file criminal and administrative complaints against the executive officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) due to their involvement in corruption.
Recommended to be charged are Ricardo Morales, Arnel De Jesus, Jovita Aragona, Renato Limsiaco Jr., Israel Francis Pargas, Calixto Gabuya Jr., and Dobby A. Crisostomo.
“The issue of PhilHealth corruption was really an important issue to the Filipinos and to everybody. And everybody again is also placed in jeopardy by the actions of the officials. I am sorry for them but they would have to undergo trial. Although, they can always prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The presumption of innocence still attaches but the report of another agency says otherwise.” President Duterte pointed out.
Department of Health (DOH) Secretary and PhilHealth Board Chairman Francisco Duque III will not face any charges. However, the task force recommended that the “President strongly admonish and remind the chairman and members of the board of a grave consequence of their action or inaction to PhilHealth fund to the government and its coffers and to the interest of the ordinary people who rely on PhilHealth assistance.”
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the task force has found negligence on the part of the Executive Committee and Board in the implementation of the (Interim Reimbursement Mechanism) IRM. The IRM fund releases were “rushed”, implemented without adequate standards and had no mechanisms to monitor fund utilization and liquidation.
DOJ Spokesperson Markk Perete stated that the complaints will be filed once the task force has finalized the documents regarding the matter. A copy of the full report cannot be issued while the investigations by member-agencies are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the PhilHealth released a statement ensuring, “the whole of PhilHealth will continue to cooperate with the subsequent investigations to be conducted by the Task Force’s composite teams as well as by the other authorized agencies for the sake of truth and transparency.”
Report from Mela Lesmoras
