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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Former PhilHealth president, 8 other officials face raps before Ombudsman

Former PhilHealth president, 8 other officials face raps before Ombudsman

Published Oct 2, 2020 08:21 pm

Former Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales and eight other officials face a criminal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM), Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday night.

“The NBI, with the endorsement of the DOJ, filed with the OMB this afternoon a complaint for violation of Secs. 3(e) and 3(i) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation of public funds or property, violation of Secs. 251, 255, and 272 of the NIRC (National Internal Revenue Code), and Sec. 4 of R.A. No. 1051 in connection with the questionable grant of advances to a number of health care institutions in the NCR (National Capital Region) pursuant to the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM),” the secretary said.

Aside from Morales, Guevarra identified the eight other respondents as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Arnel de Jesus; Senior Vice President Renato Limsiaco Jr.; Senior Vice President Israel Francis Pargas; Vice President Gregorio Rulloda; Imelda Trinidad de Vera; Lolita Tuliao; Gemma Sibucao; and Lailani Padua.

“More complaints will be filed in the next few days/weeks against erring PhilHealth personnel and their cohorts,” assured Guevarra.

Before the filing of the complaint, the DOJ-led Task Force PhilHealth submitted to President Duterte last Sept. 14 the result of its investigation on the state health insurer’s acts.

In its report, Task Force PhilHealth recommended the filing of criminal complaints for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Morales, De Jesus, Limsiaco, Pargas as well as Officer in Charge Calixto Gabuya Jr.; and Division Chief Bobby Crisostomo.

The task force also recommended the filing of criminal complaints against Morales for violating provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code as well as for malversation of public funds or property and illegal use of public funds or property in violation of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Aside from Morales, the task force said Limsiaco should also be held liable for malversation of public funds or property under the RPC.

The task force said criminal complaints should also be filed against Aragona and Gabuya for frauds against the public treasury and similar offenses under the RPC.

“The Task Force also recommended that administrative charges for, among others, dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, be filed against these individuals,” the DOJ earlier stated.

The DOJ noted that investigation of Task Force PhilHealth focused on three things: the approval and implementation of the IRM; the approval of budgets for the purchase of information and communications technology (ICT) equipment; and corporate policies and practices that fail to check, investigate, prosecute and penalize the wrongdoing of PhilHealth personnel as well as health care institutions (HCIs) and professionals.

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