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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Duterte wishes PhilHealth chief Morales 'speedy recovery', will await DOJ task force findings on alleged anomalies

Duterte wishes PhilHealth chief Morales 'speedy recovery', will await DOJ task force findings on alleged anomalies

Published Aug 11, 2020 04:26 pm

President Duterte is wishing the speedy recovery of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president Ricardo Morales, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the President has not yet mentioned if a new president of PhilHealth will be appointed in view of the health ailment of Morales.

Morales has reportedly filed a medical leave amid an ongoing investigation into the allegations of corruption and other anomalies in PhilHealth. He recently skipped a Senate inquiry and submitted a medical certificate showing his doctor's advice to go on leave so he could complete his chemotherapy.

“The President wishes President Morales speedy recovery. 'Yun lang po. Hindi naman po niya didiinan ang tao na nagsasabi na merong malubhang karamdaman (He will not pin down a person who has a severe illness). We wish him the best and we hope he recovers right away,” Roque said in a televised press briefing Tuesday.

Asked if a new PhilHealth chief will be appointed, Roque said: "Wala pa pong ganoong sinasabi ang ating Presidente (The President has not said anything about it)."

He assured that there won't be any "leadership vacuum" in any government agency given the system of succession in place.

"Kahit anong magiging desisyon ni General Morales meron talagang system in place para magpatuloy ang trabaho ng kahit anong organisasyon sa gobyerno (Regardless of the decision of General Morales, there is a system in place to ensure uninterrupted work in any government organization)," he said.

For now, Roque said the President prefers to wait for the findings and recommendations of the government panel investigating PhilHealth. 

He said the Department of Justice-led task force has been given "extraordinary powers" including authority to impose preventive suspension against PhilHealth officials to ensure unhampered investigation.

"Rerespetuhin  po niya ang mga desisyon ng Task Force na ito. So dahil nagtalaga po siya ng ganiyang task force, hihintayin po niya ang aksiyon ng mga task force  (He will respect the decision of the task force. He will wait for the action of the task force)," he said.

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