Philhealth chief in Southern Mindanao accused of faking credentials

Senator Teofisto Guingona III. RYAN LEAGOGO/INQUIRER.net

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—The Ombudsman of Mindanao has ordered the director of the Philippine Health Insurance (Philhealth) in Southern Mindanao to answer accusations he had misrepresented himself as a college graduate when he applied for the top job at the government-run agency about 12 years ago.

In its September 26, 2013 order, signed by Deputy Ombudsman Humprey Monteroso, the anti-graft probe body asked Dennis Adre to answer the charges of serious dishonesty, misrepresentation, grave misconduct and violation of Republic Act 3016 for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and falsification of official documents.

In the criminal and administrative complaints filed with the Ombudsman about two weeks ago, Philhealth employees Florence Mananes, Bernadith Ipanag, Jocelyn Puzon, and Lady Bee Go said in 1999, Adre, still an undergraduate, applied for the position by pretending to be a college graduate. He has been unlawfully occupying the top regional Philhealth position since then, the employees said.

Monteroso said Adre must submit his counter-affidavit and evidence to disprove the accusations leveled against him.

The People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPRV) chaired by Karina David, who once chaired the Civil Service Commission, said it has sought the help of Senator Teofisto Guingona III in verifying Adre’s claim that he was a graduate of the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

The PPRV said formal inquiries to the UP registrar resulted in a letter of denial.

It said that the UP registrar has written Guingona to say that “prior to the year 2013, Mr. Adre was not yet a graduate of the University of the Philippines-Diliman.”

“Mr. Adre was not considered a graduate in the University until the board of Regents approved his graduation and conferred to him the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Philosphy) on 04 December 2012,” UP registrar, Dr. Evangeline Amor, said.

“For the past 12 years, Adre was not qualified for the post for being an undergraduate and had deceived the government that he was qualifed,” the complaining Philhealth employees said in the affidavit they submitted to the Ombudsman.

Aside from charges he had faked his qualifications, the Philhealth employees also filed a separate complaint against Adre for allegedly giving preferential treatment to employees close to him by appointing them to sensitive positions even if they did not deserve it.

“We have colleagues, who even have masters degree, but were bypassed because of these employees who are close to Adre,” Mananes said.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried but failed to get Adre’s comments.

The Philhealth regional director was also mum on allegations he has been harassing the complaining employees.

But Philhealth public relations officer Germaine Tan said Adre would rather not issue statements to the media “since the complaint is already with the Ombudsman and the complainants also filed cases at our central office.”

“The stand of Mr. Dennis is that he will not give any comments since we respect the proceeding and process that these bodies are undergoing. So we just have to wait for the resolution,” Tan said.

But Tan downplayed the allegations as “non-issue and we don’t want to dignify them.”