President Rodrigo Duterte is planning to launch an investigation on Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) corruption issues that recently came into light, Malacañang told the public on Friday.
“Pinakinggan po ang lahat at ang nagingconclusion ay isang maigting na imbestigasyon ang gagawin,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque affirmed.
[They listened to all (the complaints) and the conclusion is to conduct a deeper probe [into the supposed irregularities hounding PhilHealth.]
Reports of three PhilHealth officials’ resignation from their posts due to the supposed widespread corruption within the agency prompted this level of attention from the Palace.
According to reports, a heated argument during the PhilHealth’s executive committee meeting due to the discovery of alleged corruption within the state-run firm allegedly prompted the three officials to tender their resignations.
On Friday, PhilHealth confirmed that head executive assistant Etrobal Laborte resigned in mid-July “to go back to taking his PhD (Doctor of Philosophy).” The agency is yet to officially receive the resignation letter of Thorsson Montes Keith, anti-legal fraud officer of the agency.
It added that corporate legal counsel Roberto Labe Jr. “vehemently denied” reports about his supposed resignation.
Roque confirmed that he had received a copy of Keith’s resignation letter, which cites the “widespread corruption in PhilHealth” as among the PhilHealth official’s reasons to quit his post.
“Nananawagan ako sa kanya, ngayong mayroon ng pormal na imbestigasyon, sana makipagtulungan na lang siya, bagama’t siya po ay nag-resign na, para matigil na once and for all ang corruption diyan sa PhilHealth,” he said.
[Now that there is a formal investigation, I am encouraging him to cooperate to once and for all stop the corruption in PhilHealth.]
PhilHealth, on the other hand, ensured that it would look into the corruption allegations hounding the agency.
“PhilHealth assures the public that it takes seriously any issue on corruption and asks Atty. Keith to substantiate his accusations so proper procedure can be initiated,” it said.
