Upon receiving reports of alleged tampering and destruction of documents in several Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) regional offices, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go pressed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Saturday to help protect the integrity of the government’s investigation into systemic and systematic corruption within the agency.
Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said that the NBI updated him Friday that their officers are already monitoring PhilHealth regional offices in order to secure all documents and possible evidence that may be useful to the probe.
"The NBI said that they will also conduct an inventory of all cases being handled by PhilHealth regional legal offices in order to secure documents including affidavits and hospital records. They will also secure possible witnesses,” Go said.
He said he discussed the matter with Director Eric Distor, NBI officer-in-charge.
Go urged authorities to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to remove or destroy PhilHealth public records especially those related to cases being investigated.
“Kaya nga ilang beses ko nang sinabi -- pilayan, putulan ng daliri upang hindi na makagalaw. Gamitin dapat ng task force ang ngipin nito para matigil ang kalokohan na nangyayari sa PhilHealth,” Go said. (That is why I have recommended that they be disabled so that they could not move. The Malacanang-created Task Force should use its fangs in delving into the irregularities at PhilHealth)
“'Yung mga magtatangkang magtago ng ebidensya, dapat talaga maparusahan upang hindi na makapagtago ang mga nagtatago, at hindi na makagalaw ang mga magnanakaw. Dapat lumabas ang katotohanan at mapanagot ang dapat managot,” he added. (Those who attempt to hide the pieces of evidence should be held liable so that they could not hide and the thieves immobilized. The truth must come out so that the guilty would be held culpable)
Distor disclosed that an order had been issued directing the deployment of agents to the various PhilHealth offices after they received reports of plans to destroy documentary evidence of wrongdoings.
“Nabalitaan namin sa Pangasinan sa Region 1 nasira daw ‘yung mga dokumento dahil sa ulan. I'm urging the NBI task force to investigate kung mayroon bang kalokohan dito,” said Go. (We heard that documents in Pangasinan (Region 1) were soaked by rainwater due to a roof leak. I am urging the NBI to investigate this incident)
“Kung totoong umulan, okay lang po pero kung sinadyang sirain ‘yung mga dokumento ay ibang usapan na po ‘yan, dapat silang managot. Dapat malaman kung dulot lang ba talaga ito ng malakas na ulan, may kapabayaan bang naganap, o sadyang hinayaang masira ang mga dokumento,’’ he said. (It is alright if the roof leaked but it is not OK if there is an intent to destroy the documents. There should be an in-depth investigation into this incident, whether or not the destruction of the documents was planned)
"Tinatawagan ko ang pansin ng pamunuan ng PhilHealth. Ang laki-laki ng pondo ninyo, tapos hindi niyo mapagawa ang bubong ng isang opisina ninyo! Gamitin niyo po sana ng tama ang pondo ninyo para sa pagpapaayos ng inyong mga opisina at ng inyong serbisyo sa tao,” he added. (I am asking the PhilHealth leadership to be on its toes. You have so much funds. You have so much government funds. But why could not you install a good roof? Use government funds correctly to improve your operations and services to the Filipino)