MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Friday urged the government to fire and file plunder charges against officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) who were unmasked by a resigned anti-fraud-officer.
This, after a source revealed that three PhilHealth executives tendered their resignations due widespread corruption of the state’s health insurance agency.
In a statement, Pangilinan said that the PhilHealth mess uncovered by former anti-fraud officer, Atty. Thorrson Montes Keith should spur the government to arrest the executives involved, if only to show how “serious” it is in addressing the country’s COVID-19 problem.
“If the Duterte government is serious in prioritizing the safety of the people, it will immediately terminate, charge with plunder, and jail all those involved in the PhilHealth anomaly. This is the real political will we want to see, not fake bluster,” the opposition senator said in a statement.
Keith, in his letter, said that he “opposed the mandatory payment of PhilHealth contribution by overseas Filipino workers to which I have stated that it is unconstitutional or not part of the universal health care law. It is against my personal values to let the OFWs pay for the spillage of PhilHealth.”
“I believe there is a widespread corruption in PhilHealth,” Keith’s resignation letter further read.
PhilHealth later confirmed the resignation of one of its executives, and that it was taking the corruption allegations “seriously.”
Keith’s resignation, Pangilinan said, does not only expose the deep corruption happening in PhilHealth, but also “the unacceptable government negligence and abuse of its people especially in these trying times.”
“They say that a person’s character is revealed during crisis and calamity. Perhaps the same is true of a government or leadership,” he said.
“The plunder and corruption in PhilHealth, the government agency central to our healthcare system, in the middle of the worst health crisis in the country’s history indicates a complete disregard and an abdication of duty and the inexcusable neglect of the Duterte Administration that should be protecting and serving our people with integrity.”
“Burning in hell are the souls of those who steal government health funds while thousands are getting sick and dying due to the pandemic.”