MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the creation of a task force that will investigate the alleged anomalies in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the task force will be composed of the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, Office of the Executive Secretary, Office of the Special Assistant to the President, the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit, and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
“Nakinig po ang ating Presidente at umakto bagama’t wala pa pong mapapatunayan sa mabilis na panahon, mayroon naman pong preventive suspension para mapangalagaan ang kaban ng PhilHealth,” Roque said in a virtual press conference.
“The task force is authorized to investigate, suspend, conduct lifestyle checks, and file charges against thieves in PhilHealth,” he added. “Ngayon po ang imbestigasyon na ito kasama na po ang preventive suspension.”
Roque added that President Duterte was “exasperated” with the corruptions happening inside the PhilHealth that he created a strong task force.
The PhilHealth came under fire following the testimonies made by resigned anti-fraud officer, lawyer Thorrsson Montes Keith that some PhilHealth officials pocketed around P15 billion in funds through various schemes.
Keith also claimed that several items for the agency’s IT department were overpriced by the millions./PN
