Morales, another PhilHealth exec skip Senate hearing for ‘medical reasons’

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and chief executive Ricardo Morales and another high-ranking official of the state insurance firm skipped the Tuesday hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole on alleged irregularities in the agency.

According to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Morales is currently on a medical leave while PhilHealth executive vice president and chief operating officer Arnel De Jesus has a scheduled medical follow-up checkup.

“We would just like to place on record that we have received a message from Gen. Morales that he is on medical leave. There is an excuse letter on the way, and also concurrent Vice President Arnel De Jesus also sent a letter,” Sotto said.

“They will not be able to attend the hearing even virtually because of scheduled medical follow-up checkups,” he added.

Morales, who is undergoing treatment for lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes, earlier said he will file a medical leave to heed the advice of his doctor.

In his letter to Sotto dated August 15, Morales said he filed a leave for absence from August 17 to 28 that has been approved by Health Secretary and PhilHealth Board Chair Francisco Duque III.

PhilHealth chief executive officer and president Ricardo Morales and executive vice president Arnel De Jesus send a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III advising that they will not be able to attend the Senate hearing on alleged irregularities in the agency on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. (Courtesy of Sotto’s office)

“This is to respectfully inform the Senate Committee of the Whole that the undersigned regrets not being able to attend the Committee hearing on August 18, 2020,” said Morales.

“As earlier submitted to the Committee, my attending physician advised for my medical leave. Heeding this advice therefore, I have filed my medical leave of absence,” he added.

He said De Jesus has been designated in his stead for the hearing.

PhilHealth chief executive officer and president Ricardo Morales and executive vice president Arnel De Jesus send a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III advising that they will not be able to attend the Senate hearing on alleged irregularities in the agency on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. (Courtesy of Sotto’s office)

However, De Jesus said in his letter to Sotto dated Tuesday that he will not be able to attend as well “because of a scheduled medical follow-up check-up as a result of the emergency medical procedures” performed to him recently.

PhilHealth is currently facing investigations over alleged widespread corruption in the agency.

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