New PhilHealth chief Gierran to ask Morales for ‘insights’

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and CEO Dante Gierran said he will talk to his predecessor Ricardo Morales for insights on how he should deal with issues inside the state insurer.

A former director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Gierran was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte shortly after former Morales stepped down as PhilHealth president in the wake of corruption investigations being faced by the corporation.

“I will talk to Gen. Morales for insights,” Gierran said during the Laging Handa online briefing on Thursday.

“I’ll talk to him, something like: ‘Ano ba Sir ang dapat gagawin? Saka ano’ yung mga ginawa mo na hindi dapat gawin?’” he added.

Earlier, a Senate committee recommended the filing of malversation and graft charges against Morales alongside other PhilHealth officials over the allegedly illegal and questionable release of billions of funds through the agency’s interim reimbursement mechanism meant to help hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Gierran said he would consult with public experts to help him navigate through his new role at the helm of the embattled state insurer.

Earlier, several senators expressed optimism that the former NBI chief will be able to ferret out corruption from the agency as they called on him to go after errant officials.

/MUF