Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday, Aug. 10, urged officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to go on leave while investigation over corruption allegations against them is ongoing.
(TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“I hope sila na ang magkusang mag-leave while their agency is under intense investigation (I hope they voluntarily go on leave while their agency is under intense investigation),” Guevarra said.
The secretary is asking to go on leave “those whose operations are currently under investigation or special audit.”
“They know who they are. If they are not hiding anything, they can take a leave of absence to enable the investigators/auditors to freely complete their inquiry or examination,” Guevarra said.
“Besides, the National Privacy Commission has repeatedly declared that the Data Privacy Act may not be used to hinder the conduct of legitimate government investigations,” the secretary also pointed out.
PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ricardo Morales on Monday said he felt “humiliated” and has asked his lawyers what legal actions to take over the Senate’s decision to disclose to the public that he has lymphoma and has been undergoing chemotherapy.
Guevarra on Friday, Aug. 7, created Task Force PhilHealth in accordance with the directive of President Duterte to investigate the government corporation over alleged corrupt activities.
In a memorandum addressed to Guevarra dated Aug. 7, Duterte told Guevarra to “organize a panel for the conduct of an investigation on the various allegations of corruption and anomalies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), including the audit of the PhilHealth finances and conduct of lifestyle checks of its officials and employees.”
“The DOJ shall have the authority to require other agencies and instrumentalities of the government to be members of the panel or to assist in its work. It may also seek the assistance of the constitutional commissions and other independent government bodies, and even invite them to be members of the panel,” read the memorandum.
“During the course of the investigation, if warranted, the panel may recommend to the President the imposition of preventive suspension on any PhilHealth official to ensure the unhampered conduct of the investigation,” the President instructed.
Duterte gave the panel 30 days starting from the creation of the task force to submit to him “its findings and recommendations, which shall include, proposed legal actions against officials and employees found responsible for acts of corruption and anomalies in PhilHealth.”