President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, September 14 approved the recommendation of the task force created to investigate the alleged questionable activities in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
Duterte read the recommendation during the recent IATF meeting.
Here are the names of officials that would face charges:
- Philhealth President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ricardo C. Morales; violation of Sections 3(e), (g) of RA No. 3019; Malversation of Public Funds or Property of Illegal Use of Public Funds or Property under the Revised Penal Code; and violation of Sections 251, 255 and 272 of the National Revenue Code;
- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Arnel De Jesus for violation of Section 3930 of RA No. 3019;
- Senior Vice President Jovita V. Aragona, Chief
Information Officer and Head of the Information
Management Sector, for: violation of Sections 3(a),
(e), (g) of RA No. 3019; Frauds against the public
treasury and similar offenses under the Revised
Penal Code; - Senior Vice President Renato Limsiaco, Jr. for:
violation of Section 3(e) of RA No. 3019; and
Malversation of Public Funds or Property under the
Revised Penal Code; - Senior Vice President Israel Francis A. Pargas
of the Health Financial Policy Sector for: violation of
Section 3(e) of RA No. 3019; - Officer in Charge Calixto Gabuya, Jr. for:
violation of Sections 3(e), (g) of RA No. 3019; and
Frauds against the public treasury and similar
offenses under the Revised Penal Code; and - Division Chief Bobby A. Crisostomo for
violation of Section 3(a) of RA No. 3019.
The Task Force also recommended that
administrative charges for, among others,
dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave
misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best
interest of the service, be filed against these
individuals.
Duterte said that the said officials have a chance to prove that they’re innocent before the court.
“I am sorry for them but they would have to undergo trial. Although, they can always prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Wala pa namang ano pa eh. The presumption of innocence still attaches but the report of another agency says otherwise. So ganun ho ang nangyari sa PhilHealth halos lahat sa board,” Duterte said.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed disappointment after the said task force didn’t recommend to file charges against Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III and and Philhealth SVP for the legal sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr.
The probe against PhilHealth official started after the agency’s former anti-fraud officer Thorsson Montes Keith revealed the alleged fraudalent activities.
“Naniniwala po ako na ang perang winaldas at ninakaw ay humigit kumulang ₱15 billion. Naniniwala po ako na ang dahilan kung bakit hindi natatapos ang korapsyon sa PhilHealth at naging kultura na po nito, ay ang pagtatalaga ng mga sindikato o mafia ng kanilang kasamahan, kasabwat o kapwa sindikato sa mga matataas na posisyon na nakakatulong sa kanilang iligal operasyon,” said Thorsson.