Palace commends courtesy resignation of senior PhilHealth execs

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang commended Friday Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) chief Dante Gierran for his “decisiveness” in ordering senior officials of PhilHealth to tender their courtesy resignations as part of the reorganization of the corruption-hit agency, calling the move a “step in the right direction.”

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement after over 40 senior officers PhilHealth heeded the call of Gierra to step down as part of a reshuffling in the corruption-hit state insurance agency.

“The Palace welcomes the move of (PhilHealth) President and Chief Executive Officer Dante Gierran to implement an old PhilHealth Board Resolution– which his predecessor, Mr. Ricardo Morales, blatantly failed to carry out – directing all senior officers with Salary Grade 26 and above to tender their courtesy resignation,” Roque said in a statement.

“We commend PhilHealth PCEO Gierran for his display of decisiveness,” he added.

Roque said this development in PhilHealth is “a step in the right direction” as this is in line with President Duterte’s directive to reorganize the state health insurer and to make erring officials accountable “to give the agency a fresh start.”

Task Force PhilHealth, which was led by the Department of Justice (DOJ), has recommended graft charges against Morales and several other PhilHealth officials.

The President created the task force to probe PhilHealth over the corruption claims which were unearthed during recent congressional inquiries.

Among allegations of corruption raised involve the procurement of alleged overpriced IT equipment; a supposedly questionable release of funds under the corporation’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM); and the alleged manipulation of the corporation’s financial status.

EDV