‘’I know you as a straight officer who did not compromise his principles. But did you not fail the President (Duterte)?’
This was the pointed question posed by Senator Ronald dela Rosa to retired Brigadier General Ricardo Morales, beleaguered Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer.
Morales sat for hours today before the Senate Committee of the Whole that is undertaking a public hearing on alleged widespread corruption at PhilHealth.
The inquiry was led by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III. Several were either physically present while others took part through video conference.
Being Morales’ junior in the military organizational structure, dela Rosa said he and other former Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduates look up to him as the ‘’standard bearer of the PMA for integrity lest they would ‘’feel disappointed.’’
Dela Rosa said he personally knows that Morales’ career suffered when he was in the active service at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for speaking out against corruption.
He recalled that then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte instructed him to go to Bukidnon to tell Morales that, if he is yanked out of office, he should not feel disappointed because he stood for what is right and everybody appreciates what he was doing.
Dela Rosa had served as Davao City Philippine National Police (PNP) director. He later became the PNP chief before running successfully for a seat in the Senate.
He told his colleagues in today’s public hearing that the President considered Morales as his ‘’last and final option’’ to end corruption at PhilHealth although Morales had criticized the Duterte administration for alleged corruption.
After being one year as PhiHealth chief, dela Rosa noted, a raft of problems still haunts Morales that range from alleged corruption to mismanagement.
This led dela Rosa to pointedly ask Morales: ’’Did you not fail the President?’’
Replying, Morales said: ‘’I have not finished my job, what was supposed to be done or has not been done.
He banks his success when PhilHealth’s information system is up and running.
Morales conceded that his experience and integrity are not enough to keep the gears of the PhilHealth machinery going.
He emphasized that he is still installing measures to fight grafters at the agency but is stymied by lack of personnel whom he could repose his trust in cleaning up PhilHeath.