Senate panel seeks raps against Duque, other PhilHealth execs
Photo Credit: Senate of the Philippines Facebook Page
A Senate panel on Tuesday recommended the filing of criminal charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, former PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales and several other officials over alleged anomalies within the state insurer.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III reported the findings of the Senate Committee of the Whole during Tuesday's session.
Sotto said malversation as well as graft and corruption charges should be filed against Duque, Morales and other executives over the improper and illegal release of funds under the agency's Internal Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).
The committee also recommended that the same charges be filed against resigned PhilHealth Executive Vice President Arnel de Jesus, PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Fund Management Sector Renato Limsiaco and PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Health Financial Policy Sector Israel Francis Pargas.
The Senate president noted that PhilHealth released over P14 billion through the IRM to 632 health care institutions as of June this year.
The implementation of the IRM is aimed at helping healthcare institutions cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senators however repeatedly questioned the implementation of IRM, saying that some private healthcare institutions were unfairly favored. Some were not even catering to COVID-19 patients as they claimed.
The committee also recommended the filing of charges against two of PhilHealth’s senior Information Technology officials over the planned procurement of allegedly overpriced equipment.
The panel also said that administrative cases should be filed against resigned PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Legal Sector Rodolfo del Rosario and the staff of PhilHealth’s Protest and Appeal Review Department for their alleged failure to act on pending cases lodged before the department.
Sotto urged the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman to ensure that the administrative and criminal cases against responsible individuals, healthcare institutions and corporations are filed in a timely manner.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III reported the findings of the Senate Committee of the Whole during Tuesday's session.
Sotto said malversation as well as graft and corruption charges should be filed against Duque, Morales and other executives over the improper and illegal release of funds under the agency's Internal Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).
The committee also recommended that the same charges be filed against resigned PhilHealth Executive Vice President Arnel de Jesus, PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Fund Management Sector Renato Limsiaco and PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Health Financial Policy Sector Israel Francis Pargas.
The Senate president noted that PhilHealth released over P14 billion through the IRM to 632 health care institutions as of June this year.
The implementation of the IRM is aimed at helping healthcare institutions cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senators however repeatedly questioned the implementation of IRM, saying that some private healthcare institutions were unfairly favored. Some were not even catering to COVID-19 patients as they claimed.
The committee also recommended the filing of charges against two of PhilHealth’s senior Information Technology officials over the planned procurement of allegedly overpriced equipment.
The panel also said that administrative cases should be filed against resigned PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Legal Sector Rodolfo del Rosario and the staff of PhilHealth’s Protest and Appeal Review Department for their alleged failure to act on pending cases lodged before the department.
Sotto urged the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman to ensure that the administrative and criminal cases against responsible individuals, healthcare institutions and corporations are filed in a timely manner.
