BY VICTOR REYES and RAYMOND AFRICA
DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday advised Ricardo Morales, the president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), to resign amid corruption charges hurled against the agency and because of his medical condition.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Morales should have resigned after he learned he has lymphoma while Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said PhilHealth officials whose operations are under investigation or audit should voluntarily go on leave.
Guevarra heads a task force recently created by President Duterte to look into allegations of anomalies at PhilHealth which has been losing billions to fraud and corruption.
Morales, a retired Army general like Lorenzana, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1977. He was diagnosed with lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes in February but his condition was made public only over the weekend by the Senate which is investigating allegations of corruption in the agency.
The Senate will conduct its second hearing today on the alleged anomalies in PhilHealth, including the overpriced purchases of IT equipment, manipulation of its financial statements, and irregular distribution of its aid to hospitals.
Sotto said among the witnesses who will attend the hearing are a former PhilHealth official and at least two resource persons. He also said Senate majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri will disclose details of anomalies surrounding a small infirmary in the Davao region which received millions in PhilHealth claims.
‘REST’
Lorenzana said it is up to Morales to resign or stay, “but if I were in his position, I would resign already because he has a health problem, health issues.”
“I think the best thing to do there so he can rest and be treated is he should resign,” Lorenzana also said.
Lorenzana vouched for the integrity of Morales who was once a member of the Reformed the Armed Forces Movement that plotted the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
“Dick Morales was the guardian of integrity during his time in the service… I know him personally and I don’t think he is involved in some of the anomalies there (PhilHealth),” said Lorenzana. “It so happened that he is at the helm (of PhilHealth) so he needs to answer the questions of the Senate and any other investigators.”
Lorenzana said he felt Morales is the best person to head the PhilHealth “because he has integrity, he is honest and he is a go go go person. He accomplishes things.”
Lorenzana surmised Morales was “overwhelmed” by his job at the PhilHealth, coupled with the anomalies “and after one year (in office), the problems still exist.”
Morales was appointed to the post in June last year.
Sotto said Morales should have just resigned after he was diagnosed with lymphoma.
“It is unfair to the government and to the people. Ang tagal niyo nang nagta-trabaho diyan, may sakit pala kayo. Yun bang sakit niyo can allow you to perform your duties 100 percent? Ayaw nila sabihin kasi they want to remain in office (It is unfair to the government and to the people. You have been there for a while and you are sick. I wonder if you can still perform your duties 100 percent. They don’t want to say, they want to remain in office),” Sotto said.
LEAVE REQUEST
Morales said he has a pending request to take a “medical leave” which was filed after he learned he is suffering from lymphoma, or cancer of the lymph nodes.
“I have already relayed to my bosses my intentions, and it’s up to them to decide. My fate is in their hands,” he added,
Morales said he has long been resisting going on leave considering the issues currently faced by PhilHealth. Among them, he said, are the recent launch of the Universal Health Care program, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, as well as the push for the adoption of an automated system in a bid to eliminate fraudulent activities.
“PhilHealth is in a difficult time right now. I am trying to avoid delays (in our programs). It is one of the reasons why I did not want to resign,” he said.
“PhilHealth needs stability. As they say, it’s not wise to change horses in the middle of the stream,” said Morales.
Earlier, Morales said he intends to continue attending the Senate inquiries.
SENATE WITNESS
A Senate source said Etrobal Laborte has finally agreed to come in the open and tell all he knows about PhilHealth anomalies.
It can be recalled that Laborte backed out the last minute as he was scheduled to act as a witness against officials of PhilHealth during the hearing last August 4. He was seen to have logged in during the hearing as he attended the hearing via teleconferencing but logged-out a few minute later.
Laborte just sent a message to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, through the help of a common friend, that he is begging off as a witness due to security reasons. Laborte said he feels like he was being “followed” but did not identify where the threat was coming from.
Laborte was the one who flagged an overpriced purchase of 15 computer system network switches, which the PhilHealth information technology sector bought for P320,000 when its market price was only P62,000 each.
The Commission on Audit has flagged the procurement since the PhilHealth IT Sector still has 24 brand new network switches in its inventory, unused and still in their boxes.
Sotto said one or two witnesses will be presented today based on his talks with Lacson.
“The way Sen. Lacson told me, the one or two new witnesses are ready and willing to come out after they heard ‘yung klase ng mga palusot na ginamit… According to Sen. Lacson, mabigat ‘yung mga bibitawan nito at mabigat ang mga ebidensiya nito but he did not disclose to me what (The way Sen. Lacson told me, the one or two new witnesses are ready and willing to come out after they heard the alibis given by the officials… According to Sen. Lacson, the witnesses will present hard evidence but he [Lacson] did not disclose to me what [they were]),” Sotto said.
Sotto said he might close the investigation today, depending if the resource persons will all cooperate.
Sotto said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was not invited to today’s hearing.
He said a suggestion by Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon to invite the health secretary came late.
Sotto said they might have to invite Duque if they will still conduct another hearing. “But it is an open investigation,” he said adding Duque can attend the hearing today.”
Sotto also said he is wondering why Duque, who is PhilHealth board chairman, is silent on the issues hounding the state insurer.
“It’s quite interesting bakit wala siyang comment. Nakakapagtaka na ikaw ay on top, ikaw ang SOH dapat may concern ka, so may statement ka one time or another about issues of corruption. Nakapagtataka di siya nagko-comment (It’s quite interesting why he [Duque] has not made any comment. I am wondering, you are on top, you are the secretary of health [SOH] you must at least show concern with what’s happening. You should have issued statements on the issues of corruption. It really makes me wonder why he is not issuing any),” Sotto added.
TASK FORCE
Guevarra said a DOJ team will convene today to finalize a strategy for the task force.
He said the members of the task force are identifying which specific investigations or audits, other than the Wellmed issue on “ghost” dialysis patients, could be accomplished within the limited period given to the task force by Malacañang.
Wellmed Dialysis and Laboratory Center was embroiled in a controversy last year after it allegedly made “ghost claims” with PhilHealth.
On Sunday, Guevarra said the task force will give attention to the investigation of irregularities that could be completed within the 30-day deadline such as the Wellmed dialysis ghost claims. — With Gerard Naval and Ashzel Hachero
