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The PhilHealth task force, led by the Justice Department, said Tuesday it would continue its investigation to identify others involved in the multi-billion dollar corruption affecting the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.
The task force released the statement a day after presenting President Duterte with its report on its 30-day investigation into the PhilHealth funding disorder, recommending the filing of criminal and administrative charges against seven agency officials.
However, the task force’s recommendation was criticized for not including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and PhilHealth’s senior vice president of the legal sector, Rodolfo del Rosario, among those who recommended being charged.
Attorney General Menardo Guevarra, head of Task Force Philhealth, said the report presented to the president was only preliminary and that further investigations will be conducted to determine if there are other officials and individuals who should be responsible for the anomalies.
“Our report is only about our initial findings. More investigations will be carried out and more people can be charged, ”Guevarrad said.
Cabinet responsibility
Duque and other cabinet secretaries who are ex-officio members of PhilHealth’s board of directors could still face charges of negligence in the performance of their duties, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
He made the comment after the task force initially recommended that Duterte only “strongly admonish them.”
In addition to Duque, the other ex officio members of the PhilHealth Board are the Social Welfare Secretary, Rolando Bautista, the Labor Secretary, Silvestre Bello III, the Budget Secretary, Wendel Avisado, and the Finance Secretary, Carlos Domínguez III .
In the initial report it presented to Duterte on Monday, the task force singled out PhilHealth board members for allowing the alleged anomalous Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) and the purchase of overpriced information and community technology (ICT) equipment. .
He pointed to the failure of officials to investigate and prosecute the fraud perpetrators at PhilHealth.
The responsibility of cabinet officials, the task force said, was somewhat mitigated by attempts by the PhilHealth executive committee to hide pertinent documents from PhilHealth’s board of directors.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III criticized Duque’s non-inclusion on the list of government officials facing charges, saying that Duque’s attempt to wash his hands of the disaster makes him responsible for another crime in the Revised Penal Code: criminal negligence.
Poll in progress
Roque, however, noted that the ex-officio members of PhilHealth have not yet been acquitted as the investigation into the irregularities at the state insurer is still ongoing.
“This is just the beginning. It is stated in the report that the NBI investigation [National Bureau of Investigation] and DOJ [Department of Justice] and Ombudsman [on the matter] it’s ongoing, ”Roque said at an online press conference Tuesday.
These agencies may recommend the filing of more charges in the coming weeks, Roque said.
Among those recommended for criminal charges were PhilHealth President and CEO (PCEO) Ricardo C. Morales; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Arnel de Jesus; Senior Vice President Jovita V. Aragona, Information Director and Head of the Information Management Sector; Senior Vice President Renato Limsiaco Jr .; Senior Vice President Israel Francis A. Pargas; Officer in Charge Calixto Gabuya Jr.; and Division Chief Bobby A. Crisostomo.
Justice Department spokesman and undersecretary Markk Perete said charges would be brought against those named in the report as soon as the complaints and supporting documents are checked.
He said criminal and administrative cases would be filed with the Office of the Ombudsman, prosecutors or PhilHealth, depending on the crime committed and / or the rank of the defendant.
The task force rejected the media’s request for a copy of the report, saying it contains information on ongoing investigations by member-agencies of the task force.
In its 177-page report, the task force concluded that “the persons who are supposed to establish the policies and operational guidelines for the management of PhilHealth, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, have not demonstrated the due diligence that they have received. it demands in the fulfillment of its duties “.
Airside of officers
The conflicting PhilHealth officials pledged to bow to whatever instructions President Duterte may give following the presentation of the task force report.
While the state health insurer said it has not yet received its official copy of the Task Force PhilHealth report, it expressed hope the report will shed light on those who should be held accountable, as well as the innocent.
“As always, he reiterates his unwavering commitment to truth and justice. That said report, which is also based on recent Congressional hearings, guide the competent authorities in the prosecution of those guilty of wrongdoing and exonerate the innocent, ”PhilHealth said in a statement signed by its executive vice president and chief operating officer, Arnel F. de Jesús.
PhilHealth issued the statement after President Duterte approved the filing of charges against at least six former and current agency officials, including former PhilHealth CEO and President Ricardo Morales, who resigned last month to receive treatment for his lymphoma. , and Jesus.
Duterte noted that the officials included in the list allegedly violated the anti-corruption law, participated in the misappropriation of public funds or property; grossly negligent and violated the internal revenue code; and hidden important documents.
Despite this, PhilHealth said it will continue to cooperate with authorities in further investigations in the interests of truth and transparency.
With Bernadette D. Nicolas
