House panels to hold executive session on PhilHealth corruption claims

 

MANILA, Philippines — Two committees in the House of Representatives will hold an executive session to tackle the alleged corrupt activities within the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

During the hybrid hearing of the House Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, Cavite 4th District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga pointed out that in a Senate hearing, PhilHealth Senior Vice President Atty. Rodolfo Del Rosario Jr. made a remark that he is willing to tell everything he knows should there be an executive session.

To recall, in a Senate hearing on August 4, Alejandro Cabading, a member of the PhilHealth’s board of directors, tagged del Rosario as among the members of the “mafia” within the agency.

Del Rosario, who was also present during the Senate investigation, denied involvement in any fraudulent schemes.

Del Rosario also said that he would expose to senators in an executive session the anomalies involving Cabading.

Now facing lawmakers in the lower chamber, Barzaga asked Del Rosario if he is still willing to “participate” if the House panels hold their own executive session.

In response, Del Rosario said: “That is correct, Mr. Chairman, your honor.”

Barzaga then formally moved that the House panels hold an executive session with Del Rosario which was adopted by Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts.

Defensor, however, said that the committees will first continue with the interpellations before holding the executive session.

“At a proper time, we will decide when we will conduct an executive session on this today. Yes, today we will do that,” Defensor said.

“There’s a motion, duly seconded, we will do that. I just want to clarify that last week, akala nation umaga lang tayo hanggang alas dos. Pero ngayon pwede naman tayo magtuloy hanggang mamaya so let’s schedule the executive session,” he added.

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