Task Force PhilHealth presents report on corruption investigation to Duterte

MANILA – The PhilHealth Task Force presented its report on alleged corruption at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to President Rodrigo Duterte’s office on Monday, said the Department of Justice (DOJ), which led it.

In a statement, the Justice Department said the report consists of 177 pages, excluding annexes, which present the “initial findings” and “recommendations to the chair” of the task force.

It did not reveal any of the findings.

The working group, made up of representatives of the DOJ, the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council. (AMLC), among others, spoke with 14 witnesses in the course of 7 hearings.

Task Force PhilHealth presents Pres Duterte with a report on alleged corruption and anomalies in PhilHealth. It says the task force spoke to 14 witnesses over the course of 7 hearings, examined reports and documents. But the findings were not disclosed. | via @mikenavallo pic.twitter.com/vQX9uXCbEW

– ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) September 14, 2020

It also evaluated documents submitted by specialists, as well as reports and summaries of various cases and reports and recommendations from other agencies, including the Senate.

“While the Task Force awaits further directive from the president, its composite teams will conduct more targeted investigations of specific acts of fraud or corruption committed by both healthcare providers and PhilHealth staff,” the department’s statement read. of Justice.

The Senate Committee of the Whole previously recommended the filing of corruption and embezzlement charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (who chairs the PhilHealth board), PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales, and other executives from the state insurer after they They allegedly authorized the release of COVID-19 funds to health facilities that do not serve coronavirus patients.

At least 17 senators previously signed a resolution urging Duque to step down as health chief, saying he has not addressed the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

The alleged corruption issues at PhilHealth arose as the country was facing a health crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 265,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Philippines, as of Monday, of which nearly 54,000 are active infections. The death toll stood at 4,630, while 207,504 patients have recovered.