President Rodrigo R. Duterte has directed government agencies to publish a detailed report on their respective expenses especially in this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to avoid further irregularities. He pinpointed PhilHealth and vowed to closely monitor the alleged anomalies within the corporation in his remaining years in office until those who are involved will be held responsible
“Lalo na itong PhilHealth, maski paperclip i-publish ninyo at sino ‘yung bidder na mag-supply ng paperclip, maski isa. Isabi mo diyan sa newspaper para mabasa. Iyong PhilHealth ang dapat imbestigahan at dapat i-prosecute lahat at dapat ikulong. Kung iyan na lang ang trabaho ko sa maiwan ko sa dalawang taon, iyan na rin ang gagawain ko (Especially PhilHealth, even a paperclip [purchased] must be published along with the bidder that has supplied the paperclip, even one. Publish it in a newspaper to be read. PhilHealth must be investigated and all [officials involved] must be prosecuted. They must be put behind bars. If that is the last duty I have to fulfill in [my last] two years, I will do it).”
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra, leader of the task force investigating PhilHealth, reported that they are “focusing, Mr. President, more particularly on these centers of fraud. Number one is the IT system of PhilHealth. Number two, Mr. President, in our areas of focus, is the legal sector. It seems that the legal sector is a very ripe source of irregularities. Number three, Mr. President, is what is known as the interim reimbursement mechanism or IRM. And lastly also, Mr. President, on financial management.”
Sec. Guevarra added that the task force is also conducting lifestyle checks on the officials of the agency.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive assured that all of the government funds especially allotted for the fight against COVID-19 have served its purpose and he will hold himself responsible for the expenditures.
“Gusto kong ipaalam sa lahat that as upon my oath of office, huwag kayong mag-alala. Lahat ng pera riyan nagastos dito sa away ng COVID ay ma-account. (I want everyone to know that as upon my oath of office, don’t worry. All the money have been used for the fight against COVID-19). I will hold myself responsible for this sole and solemn duty of answering for and in behalf of the Executive department of all the funds that were spent in the fight against COVID.” – Report from Mela Lesmoras
