Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon on Friday expressed belief constitutional commissions cannot be part of a task force that would be organized by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Drilon said that while he welcomes the President’s directive to the DOJ to form an investigating body that will look into the supposed widespread corruption in the state health insurance agency, the Constitution states that they are independent offices that can conduct an independent probe.

“The President’s memorandum directing the DOJ to organize a panel to investigate PhilHealth and even seeking the assistance of Constitutional Commissions is in order,” Drilon said in a text message to reporters.

“However, the memorandum also says that these constitutional commissions may be invited ‘to be members of the panel’ that will investigate the anomalies in PhilHealth,” he pointed out.

Drilon clarified that under the Constitution, these constitutional commissions, particularly the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Commission on Elections (Comelec), and the Commission on Audit (COA) are required to be independent.

“The constitutional commissions cannot be members of the panel constituted by the DOJ. The Constitution provides that these Commissions shall be independent offices,” the minority leader stressed.

“The powers of these offices cannot be limited by their membership in the panel and they may, in fact, choose to pursue independent investigation or audit regardless of, or notwithstanding the result of the investigation to be conducted by the panel organized by the DOJ,” he added.

President Duterte had earlier issued a memorandum directing the DOJ to investigate the various irregularities hounding PhilHealth and make an audit of its financial status, conduct lifestyle checks on its officials and employees.

Duterte signed the memorandum a few days after the Senate reopened its probe into the state health insurer in response to reports of three PhilHealth officials, including an anti-fraud officer, resigned due to alleged rampant corruption within the agency.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said members of the task force will include the Office of the Ombudsman, COA, CSC, the Office of the Executive Secretary, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), and the Office of the Special Assistant to the President.