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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ombudsman to decide on PhilHealth 'corruption' complaints

Ombudsman to decide on PhilHealth 'corruption' complaints

Published Jan 27, 2021 06:06 pm

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) will decide on the disposition of the complaints concerning reported anomalies at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), said Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday, Jan. 27.

(MANILA BULLETIN)

Guevarra pointed this out after PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dante Gierran said the state insurance firm has already liquidated 92 percent of the P15 billion that the state health insurer allegedly lost from corruption.

“The task force has already filed the complaints pertaining to the IRM (Interim Reimbursement Mechanism) with the Office of the Ombudsman,” said the secretary about the complaints that have been filed by the DOJ-led Task Force Against Corruption (TFAC).

“So we'll leave it to the OMB to determine the effect of such liquidation on any administrative or criminal liability of the respondent PhilHealth officials,” he added.

Recently, Gierran, the former chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), said the P15 billion is not lost.

“On record, the Senate and the ordered that it be liquidated. As of now, 92 percent has been liquidated,” he said.

“I will not allow Filipinos’ money to be lost. I came from the . I will not allow that to happen under me,” Gierran assured.

The first complaint was filed by the NBI before the OMB last Oct. 2 and named as respondent former PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales and eight other former and current officials of PhilHealth over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the IRM.

Just last Jan. 13, the NBI filed another complaint concerning alleged irregularities over the P33.8 million that private health provider Braun Avitum received from PhilHealth’s IRM.

The respondents also include Morales; 13 former and current officials and personnel of PhilHealth main office and PhilHealth National Capital Region (NCR) office; and three executives and Braun Avitum.

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