MANILA – Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales is set to go on a medical leave starting next week after previously revealing that he is undergoing chemotherapy for lymphoma.
Morales said in a radio interview yesterday morning that he was advised by his doctor and his family to take the leave amid corruption allegations hounding PhilHealth.
“Matigas ang ulo ko eh. Pero sinusunod ko na ‘yung payo ng aking doktor at sinabi niya kung gusto kong gumaling I have to take leave, so next week magli-leave ako,” Morales said.
“Kaya lang ho sundalo kasi ako eh. Ang sundalo kahit na sugatan ay pipiliting tapusin ‘yung mission,” added Morales, who earlier asked the Senate to allow him to attend the hearing on alleged PhilHealth anomalies virtually due to his condition.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, meanwhile, said that President Rodrigo Duterte won’t pressure Morales to step down from his position as it could be a heavy burden on the latter.
“Si Presidente, he’s really a very kind person, lalong-lalo na may sakit si Morales. He will not add pressure to Gen. Morales. And I think that’s a good trait of the President, not a bad one,” Roque told CNN Philippines yesterday.
“The President is still convinced that Morales is a man of principle unless the result of the investigation shows otherwise,” he added. “He has said, ‘I don’t care if you are my political supporter. I don’t care if you’re close (to) me. If you’re corrupt, then you will have to go.’”
PhilHealth and its officials are under investigation over the agency’s alleged overpriced purchase of an information technology system worth over P2 billion as well as the P15 billion stolen through fraudulent schemes./PN
