PhilHealth, private healthcare officials slapped with charges
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday filed new criminal and administrative complaints against officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) over alleged irregularities in a financial assistance program for health care institutions hammered by “fortuitous” events like the coronavirus pandemic.
The NBI filed the complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against resigned PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo C. Morales, among other former and current officials, for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The respondents also face raps for allegedly misappropriating funds in violation of the National Health Insurance Act of 2013. They also face administrative charges of grave misconduct, gross negligence, and conduct prejudicial to public interest.
MEDIUM RARE
Corruption in places high and low. The Department of Justice is conducting a “massive” investigation but how massive can it be, that the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission beat DOJ in the game by naming names.
Who’s investigating the investigators?
With so many high-profile cr
Published January 3, 2021, 7:24 PM
“Bagong taon na, tigilan na ang pagiging bitter (It’s the New Year, stop being bitter).”
This was Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza’s unsolicited piece of advice Sunday to former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who a few days ago accused the current House leadership of blocking the supposed plan of Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor and Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado to probe corruption allegations against some of their fellow congressmen.
Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza
(FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“That’s fake news,” said Atienza, who last month was among those elevated to the deputy speakers’ post by Cayetano’s successor, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco of Marinduque.
(OVP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
President Duterte bared the names of former and current lawmakers who allegedly received kickbacks from the government’s public works projects.
They were in the list provided by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) that supposedly cropped up from its investigation, although Duterte admitted he has no evidence of such allegations.
“Ang sa akin, ang tanong ko nga, kung wala namang hard evidence, bakit kailangang pangalanan?” she asked during her radio show, “BISErbisyong Leni.”
(For me, my question is, why should they be named if there was no hard evidence?)
The vice president said that a thorough investigation should be conducted to prove the lawmakers are indeed guilty of corruption.