[ad_1]
At least six former and current officials from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will face charges for their involvement in the alleged anomalies at the state government insurer.
In his public address Monday, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said the inter-agency task force led by the Department of Justice, which is investigating PhilHealth, made the recommendation after concluding its 30-day investigation.
Last month, Duterte created the task force to investigate PhilHealth’s alleged overpriced purchase of information technology and community (ITC) equipment.
“The entirety of the evidence presented to the task force supports the honorable conclusion that the wrongful acts or omissions of certain key Philhealth corporate officials have been committed,” Duterte said while reading the task force report.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte approved the recommendation to bring criminal and administrative charges against former PhilHealth CEO and President Ricardo Morales, who resigned last month to receive treatment for his lymphoma.
Other PhilHealth officials who will be sued are its senior vice president, Jovita Aragona; Information and Technology and Management Department, Acting Senior Director Calixto Gabuya; The senior vice president of the fund management sector, Renato Limsiaco; Vice President Senator Israel Pargas; Arnel De Jesus, Executive Vice President and President and Concurrent Executive Director of the OIC, among others.
Duterte pointed out that these officials allegedly violated the anti-bribery law, participated in the misappropriation of public funds or property; grossly negligent and violated the internal revenue code; and hidden important documents.
