Duque tags as ‘unfortunate’ Senate proposal to sue him over PhilHealth mess

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III labeled on Tuesday as “unfortunate” the Senate recommendation to file a case against him in connection with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) fund mess, insisting he was not involved in the anomaly.

Duque reiterated he was not present when PhilHealth officials signed a resolution authorizing the release of interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM) funds to hospitals even if they were not catering to COVID-19 patients.

The PhilHealth IRM became controversial when it was revealed in a Senate hearing that health institutions not included as COVID-19 facilities — like maternity and dialysis clinics — received funds meant for the government’s pandemic response.

Earlier, a Senate panel pushed for the indictment of Duque and former PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales.

READ: Senate panel wants Duque, Morales, other execs sued over PhilHealth fund mess

“As a non-voting Chairman under the Universal Health Care Law, it is unfortunate that I was impleaded in the alleged IRM irregularities when I was not even present during the deliberation nor did I sign the Board Resolution,” Duque claimed in a statement.

Duque, who has also been under fire for the government’s alleged paltry COVID-19 response, told the Senate panel that this was not the right time for such a move.

“This is not the best time for the Executive to have a difference with the Legislative branch, but two weeks ago I went to the Senate to shed light on the issues based on my personal knowledge,” Duque said.

“As I have previously stated, I will cooperate with any inquiry on the matter by the concerned government agencies. Certainly, I intend to clear my name,” he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said in a speech during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole hearing that several top-ranking officials, aside from Duque and Morales, must be charged also to start reforming the corruption-plagued agency.

“Any reform in personnel and its organization cannot come from within its ranks when all had been tainted with suspicion, through active participation or inaction, in the conspiracy to bankrupt PhilHealth of its funds and resources,” Sotto said.

This was a change in the Senate’s approach, especially since Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who has been critical of Duque’s actions, said weeks ago that there was no evidence yet that would warrant the filing of cases against the embattled Health secretary.

Issues within PhilHealth surfaced when anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith resigned last July 23 due to widespread corruption within the agency. Keith said that members of a “mafia” within PhilHealth had already pocketed more than P15 billion in funds.

It was also revealed that PhilHealth procured several items like software and gadgets at a grossly overpriced cost — for example, an Adobe Master Collection Set priced at less than P200,000 was tagged at P21 million.

Duque was included in the issue as several senators believe the former has to be included in any probe given his vast experience with the health agency.

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