DOJ hopes next PhilHealth leaders will undergo internal cleansing

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Saturday hoped that the newly-appointed leaders of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will undergo an internal cleansing while a task force probes the fresh allegations of corruption hounding the insurance agency.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said this as the justice department’s task force is expected to give recommendations to President once it finishes its 30-day investigation on the irregularities in the state insurer.

“But the deeper and more thorough investigative work and structural reforms affecting the central and regional offices will continue for a long time thereafter. we hope that the new leaders who will be installed at PhilHealth will carry on this internal cleansing and restoration on their own,” Guevarra said when sought for comment about extending the investigation on PhilHealth.

The task force is composed of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Commission on Audit, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council. It began its first investigative hearing last Aug. 15.

The Justice chief said they are also looking at filing complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman once the probe is finished.

PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales resigned on Wednesday after President Rodrigo Duterte asked him to leave his post amid anomalies in the agency. Duterte is expected to install a new CEO and president of the state insurance corporation by Monday, Aug. 31.

Meanwhile, Guevarra said there are still no updates on the DOJ’s probe on the leaking roof incident in the PhilHealth Ilocos regional office which reportedly led to some important documents being water damaged.

“No update yet. I will also find out kung may loss of data sa computer system,” he said.

/MUF