MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) officials are currently being investigated over the alleged overpriced purchase of IT system worth P2 billion, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.
In a television interview yesterday, Roque urged PhilHealth anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith, who tendered his resignation on Thursday over “widespread corruption” in the agency, to assist in the investigation being spearheaded by the Presidential Management Staff.
“Nananawagan ako sa kaniya na ngayong meron nang pormal na imbestigasyon, sana po ay makipagtulungan na lang siya tutal siya naman ay nag-resign na para matigil na once and for all ang corruption diyan sa PhilHealth,” said Roque in an interview with GMA’s “Unang Balita.”
“Kung hindi niya nagawa habang nasa loob, gawin na niya ngayon at sabihin na niya ang lahat ng nalalaman niya bilang anti-fraud officer,” he added.
PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales, however, has once again denied irregularities in the agency, and even dared Keith to back his claim of “widespread corruption,” as written in the latter’s resignation letter.
“[Aabot sa] 50,000 transactions ang hina-handle ng PhilHealth araw-araw, palagay ko naman kung hindi corruption ‘yung mga inefficiencies diyan, mali ‘yung pasok [ng entries], kulang. Pero iyong sinasabi na korapsyon na may sindikato, may mafia, wala hong ebidensiya,” Morales told DZBB.
“Kung may alam siyang corruption, ilabas niya. Mag-aantay pa siya ng August 31 [for his resignation to become effective]? Gawin na niyang Lunes o ngayon, kasi detrimental na ‘yung ano niya… it would compromise the corporation for him to stay, for him to have access to the resources of the corporation,” he added.
PhilHealth’s private board members were opposed to the agency’s purchase of an IT system as its component worth over P730 million has yet to get approval from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Roque said.
“Importante ang IT purchase kasi lahat ng kababalaghan diyan sa PhilHealth ay nagagawa kasi nga po wala silang mabuting IT system para maiwasan ‘yang corruption na ‘yan,” said Roque.
“Ang kongklusyon ko diyan talaga ay may sindikato talaga at ito ay ‘yung pinakamatataas na career executives diyan sa PhilHealth [ang involved],” he added. “Hindi natin nilalahat, pero ang pinakamatitindi po diyan ay ‘yung pinakamatataas ang katungkulan dahil sila ang bumubuo sa mga polisiya ng PhilHealth.”/PN
