3 more witnesses appear in Task Force PhilHealth probe

Photo from Radyo Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Three more witnesses on Tuesday appeared before the task force investigating the alleged corruption within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), according to the spokesperson of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the Task Force PhilHealth has so far conducted five hearings on the alleged irregularities hounding the state-run insurance firm, which even saw the resignation of its former president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales.

“Kahapon ‘yung panglima nating hearing and meron tayong additional na tatlong testigo na humarap sa task force kahapon, and we are scheduling another hearing within the week,” Perete told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo on Wednesday.

(Yesterday was our fifth hearing and we had three additional witnesses who testified before the task force)

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra chairs the Task Force PhilHealth.

Perete said the investigating body has also formed composite teams that will go to PhilHealth offices and gather documentary evidence.

He said the composite teams will also invite more witnesses to strengthen the cases against those officials involved in the corruption.

So far, two composite teams have been created, one that will look into the information technology capability of PhilHealth while the other will verify the legal cases from the agency’s legal sector.

“They (members of the composite teams) will also see kung nagkaroon ba ng action or inaction, and at the same time kung merong mga kailangang i-file na cases na hindi finile ng legal sector, ito ay irerekomenda na i-file ng ating composite teams,” Perete said.

(They will also see if there was action or inaction, and at the same time if there are cases not filed by the legal sector, it will be recommended to be filed by the composite teams.)

Perete said the task force will also look at separate investigations conducted by other agencies concerning corruption at PhilHealth, including those from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“We will consolidate ‘yung action on this particular investigation, so ‘yung (the) recommendations will be seriously considered by the department, and if there are recommendations for the filing of criminal and administrative cases, this will be studied by the department,” Perete said.

“Titingnan din natin kung ‘yung evidence na sumusuporta sa (We will also look at whether the evidence supporting the) recommendation, whether these are evidence included in the report or evidence na independently gathered by the task force, are sufficient for the purpose of filing the cases,” he added.

JPV