Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) Senior Vice President for Legal Sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr. File photo / Joseph Vidal pf Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Recently resigned Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) senior vice president for legal sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr. maintained that his conscience is clear amid alleged anomalies within the agency, saying that he is ready to face possible charges against him.
“Malinis po yung aking konsensya, wala po tayong kinasangkutan na kahit ano pong usapin na will derail the national health insurance program or to take advantage of our position,” Del Rosario said in an interview on Teleradyo on Friday.
(My conscience is clear. I was not involved in any type of schemes that will derail the national health insurance program or to take advantage of my position.)
“Tayo po’y nakahandang harapin po yung lahat ng imbestigasyon. My clear conscience is the best argument,” he added.
(I am ready to face all investigations. My clear conscience is the best argument.)
Del Rosario recently tendered his irrevocable resignation as PhilHealth faces corruption investigations following fresh claims of the anomalies within the agency.
Aside from Del Rosario, PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales likewise resigned after President Rodrigo Duterte said it was “best” for him to step down due to his health condition.
But lawmakers had previously said the resignation of the two officials will not shield them from any possible charges involving alleged corruption in the agency.
Among allegations of corruption raised in congressional inquiries involve the procurement of alleged overpriced IT equipment; a supposedly questionable release of funds under the corporation’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM); and the alleged manipulation of the corporation’s financial status.
“Kahit po nalulunod tayo sa ingay at intriga tayo po ay nakahandang humarap at tayo po’y confident that we are not guilty of all these charges,” Del Rosario went on.
(Even if we are drowning in a lot of noise and controversies, I am ready to face and I am confident that I am not guilty of all these charges.)
Further, the resigned PhilHealth executive noted that he was among the first officials to agree with signing a bank secrecy waiver. He said he is also willing to subject himself to a lifestyle check.
“We are fully cooperating. I have my reasons for submitting my resignation. I need to focus din sa aking sariling kalusugan and I need also to find a new job dahil I cannot afford to be unemployed for the next six months,” Del Rosario said.
“So hopefully po may tumanggap po sakin sa trabaho tayo po ay tapat maglingkod at meron naman po tayong kakayahan na naipakita natin sa nakaraang taon,” he added.
(So hopefully, I will still get employed because I have served truthfully and I have skills and abilities which I’ve shown in the past years.)
Gordon report
Meanwhile, Del Rosario said he agrees with the findings of the report recently released by Senator Richard Gordon.
Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, based the findings in his report on the 2019 investigation into alleged fraud hounding the state insurer.
This is separate from the investigation recently conducted by the Senate Committee of the Whole, led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Gordon’s report pointed to the regional vice presidents as part of the so-called PhilHealth “mafia.”
But the investigation led by Sotto is heading in a different direction with the executive committee, which Del Rosario is a part of, being linked allegedly fraudulent schemes in the agency.
“That is something that the Senate has to resolve among themselves. So ito po ay nandiyan na so kailangan po nilang pagusapan. Personally, I agree with the findings of the good senator (Gordon),” Del Rosario said.
“Ako po kasi ay naging bahagi na ng executive committee nung 2018 so wala po akong nakita na any criminal or organized crime committed by the execom as a whole,” he added.
(I have been a part of the execom for since 2018 and I have not seen any organized crime committed by the execom as a whole.)
He said members of the executive committee only meet for official meetings.
“Kasi yung amin pong papel do’n ay we are actually advising the president and CEO on matters on the implementation of the directive of the PhilHealth board. Ang nakita ko po nagtatrabaho po yung mga execom members nang mabuti,” he said.
(Our role in the panel is we are actually advising the president and CEO on matters on the implementation of the directive of the PhilHealth board. The members of the execom are doing their job well.)
“We don’t even meet among ourselves na kami-kami. We only meet officially when there is an official agenda that has to be discussed on the level of the execom,” he added.
The Senate Committee of the Whole is set to come out with its report early next week.