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Provide immunity to PhilHealth whistleblowers, Lacson urges

Philippines | National

Provide immunity to PhilHealth whistleblowers, Lacson urges

By Mario Casayuran

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson wants the Senate to extend legislative immunity to a board member of the alleged graft-ridden Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and a former Philhealth official who will continue their testimonies before the Senate Committee of the Whole on irregularities at the state-run health agency.

Senator Panfilo M. Lacson
(CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

The Senate Committee of the Whole conducted yesterday a10-hour hearing on alleged widespread corruption at PhilHealth. The hearing resumes Tuesday morning.

The two are Alejandro Cabading and lawyer Thorrson Montes Keith, former PhilHealth anti-fraud official.

Lacson said the grant of a legislative immunity means that the person is guaranteed from future suits arising from his testimony during a public hearing by a Senate committee.

He said witnesses given legislative immunity are usually emboldened to give testimonies on alleged irregularities in cases being investigated by the Senate.

Cabading sought the grant of legislative immunity to him in yesterday’s start of the public hearing by the Senate on PhilHealth irregularities that surprised senators on their magnitude. It was Cabading who named the officials in the PhilHealth Executive Committee who compose the ‘’in-house Mafia’’ or are involved in graft practices.

Aside from legislative immunity, Lacson said the Senate could give security to witnesses should they request for it.

Senators were disappointed at the refusal of retired Brig. Gen, Ricardo Morales, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to acknowledge irregularities on his agency’s proposed ICT budget bloated by at least P734 million.

Another PhllHealth official maintained that some P15 billion had been lost at PhllHealth due to corruption.

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