COMMISSIONER Aileen Lizada of the Civil Service Commission yesterday accused chairwoman Alicia dela Rosa-Bala of trying to suppress information about cases filed against officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) before the CSC.
Lizada made the disclosure during a joint hearing of the House committee on public accounts and on good government and public accountability into the alleged massive corruption in PhilHealth, on the questioning of Rep. Michael Defensor (Anakalusugan party-list).
Defensor also wanted to know if the alleged attempt to suppress information had anything to do with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III being a former CSC chair.
Duque is current chairman of the PhilHealth board and served as CSC chairman from 2010 to 2015.
“May mga tao diyan (sa CSC) galing PhilHealth and I’m sure konektado sa kanya (Duque).
Ito po ba ay may koneksyon sa pagiging dating chairman ng CSC? (There are people there in the CSC who are from PhilHealth and I’m sure are connected to Secretary Duque. Is this connected with his being a former CSC chair?)” he asked Lizada who said she has no evidence to support such claim.
Lizada told the hearing that Bala had instructed commissioners not to divulge any information on the cases even if they will be asked by lawmakers during an investigation, in aid of legislation.
Defensor, chair of the public accounts panel, asked Lizada if there was any move to hide information from the panel since he could not extract anything from assistant commissioner Ariel Ronquillo who represented Bala in the hearing.
“I’ll be straight to the point, pasensiya na po kayo commissioner at hindi ko naman nilalahat, pero mayron po bang pagkilos o may galaw na i-suppress ang information dito sa imbestigasyon ng Kongreso at ng iba pang opisina ng ating gobyerno? (I beg your pardon, commissioner and I’m not saying that all of you are into this, but is there any move to suppress information from this congressional investigation and other government offices?),” Defensor asked Lizada.
Lizada said that after President Duterte’s memorandum ordering an investigation into the anomalies in PhilHealth, Bala had an online meeting with commissioners and directors and “yes, sir, there was guidance regarding your concern.”
Duterte ordered the probe earlier this month.
Lizada said the order was made by “the other member of the commission” which she later identified as the “chairperson.” She made the disclosure on the questioning of deputy speaker Rodante Marcoleta who asked if it was Bala who gave the instruction.
“As far as I recall during the meeting, the guidance was given to us,” Lizada said, prompting Marcoleta to press her to identify who issued the order, to which the commissioner said: “The chairperson po (It was the chairperson).”
“If my recollection serves me right, ‘this information should not be made public nor should be given out to anyone who would be asking, either in aid of legislation or investigation.’ Parang ganun ang natandaan ko (That’s what I remember),” Lizada said.
Last week, a former PhilHealth official tagged Duque as godfather” of an alleged mafia operating in the state insurer, while another official who is now on floating status said Duque is aware of all the problems in the agency but has done nothing to address these.
Ronquillo told the House hearing he did not hear the chairwoman issuing such an order to other officials.
“Categorically I will say that I did not hear that guidance being given by the chair in any meeting of which I was in attendance, your honor. I am present in all of the commission meetings, except if I am sent elsewhere,” he said.
