Senators are now looking at the possibility of investigating the alleged corruption at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“I am now drafting a resolution calling for a Senate Committee of the whole inquiry. As expressed by SP Sotto to me last night, this inquiry will be one of the Senate’s top agenda after our session resumes on Monday,” Senator Panfilo Lacson disclosed.
Lacson said the “unabated corruption and mismanagement” of funds at PhilHealth has long been a topic between him and some senators, “but the reported shouting match in a recent virtual conference between the PhilHealth president and some board members involving almost P1 billion worth of questionable transactions, including a total overprice of P98 million – if true, says it all.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto III also suggested a “full blown Senate investigation” on the matter while Finance Committee Chair Senator Sonny Angara thinks the COA should conduct a special audit.
Minority Leader Senator Franklin Drilon warned PhilHealth that they are being watched, “it is not every day that we see key officials resigning from their posts one after the other. We will get to the bottom of this.”
Senator Risa Hontiveros added that those proven to have taken advantage of the pandemic must be held liable under the law.
Meanwhile, Senator Christopher Go called on the PhilHealth leadership “to put a stop on these issues of anomalies within its ranks.” Go revealed that the President himself has ordered to investigate the alleged anomalies within PhilHealth.
– Report from Eunice Samonte
