A hold-departure order and hospital arrest were sought by two lady lawmakers against officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. that the Department of Justice found liable for various criminal cases in connection with alleged fund irregularities at Philhealth.
Even before the charge sheets could be sent to the Office of the Ombudsman, ACT CIS Partylist Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera swiftly issued press statements proposing the legal actions that only courts can order.
The DOJ-led Task Force Philhealth has released the initial findings of its investigation into the financial mess.
It has recommended various criminal charges against several Philhealth executives that included former President and CEO Ricardo Morales. But all are reportedly bailable.
But even before the Office of the Ombudsman could take a glimpse at the complaint sheet and find probable cause against Morales and other officials, Tulfo declared she wanted Morales arrested even while undergoing medical procedures for cancer.
“As for PhilHealth President & CEO Ricardo Morales who has gone on medical leave, I say he should be placed under hospital arrest. Frankly, I have no pity for him,” said Tulfo.
Morales is suffering from cancer and has failed to attend several congressional hearings on the legislative inquiry into the alleged multi-billion peso fund anomalies that have hit Philhealth.
Herrera said Philhealth officials found liable by the DOJ should be put on “immigration watch lists, hold departure orders and Interpol Red notices”.
The partylist lawmaker said the “processes leading” to such actions have to be “set in motion so that when (the) time comes for those formalities to be done, actions will be swift.”
“I appeal to the DOJ and the NBI to immediately cause the issuance of the needed legal authorization to secure the files and computers of PhilHealth to make sure evidence and witnesses do not suddenly vanish without any trace and so conveniently for the plunderers,” said Herrera in a press statement.