Duterte to choose PhilHealth president on Monday, says Go

President Rodrigo Duterte will choose the next president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. on Monday, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go said on Friday.

"Nagkausap ho kami ni Pangulong Duterte kaninang madaling araw meron na ho siyang nasa radar na niya ,pinag-iisipan na niyang mabuti," Go said in an interview in Davao.

"He will decide by Monday kung kaniya na pong pipiliin itong taong ito na papalit kay General Morales. Kailangan na rin talagang magkaroon ng kapalit para tuloy tuloy ang serbisyo ng PhilHealth," he added.

Go is Duterte's former special assistant.

Morales, a retired military general, turned in his resignation letter on Wednesday after Duterte advised that it would be best for the PhilHealth chief to step down, considering his battle with lymphoma.

Malacanang on Thursday said Duterte had not set a timeline for the selection of a new PhilHealth chief.

"There are already names being considered pero nag-iingat po ang Presidente sa pagpili," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

'Officer-in-charge'

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon expressed disappointment on the decision of the PhilHealth Board to designate executive vice president Arnel De Jesus as officer-in-charge

"As PhilHealth’s Chief Operation Officer, he implemented the questionable Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM). It must be remembered that he was the one who kept justifying the download of IRM funds to non-COVID-19 hospitals such as dialysis and maternity clinics," Drilon said in a statement.

Drilon stressed that it was De Jesus was the one who said that liquidation is "optional," when PhilHealth should have required hospitals to liquidate the funds immediately as required by the Commission on Audit rules.

"His actions and poor professional judgment were so evident during the hearings of the Committee of the Whole on PhilHealth," Drilon said.

De Jesus was able to attend only one of the three Senate hearings on alleged anomalies in PhilHealth because he had an "unforeseen medical emergency."

The same old story of corruption and incompetence could be expected from the state health insurer with De Jesus at the helm, according to Drilon.

He said Duterte should instead be given authority, by passing a law, to reorganize PhilHealth.

"The officials must be chosen based on their integrity, experience, education, training and competence, among others. It should be led by someone with excellent background in finance and management," he added.

Senator Joel Villanueva, on the other hand, acknowledged that the chain of command dictates the chief operating officer to fill in the duties of Morales.

"His health condition notwithstanding, he should be able to discharge his functions as officer in charge and ensure the smooth operation of the PhilHealth at this critical time," he said.

"We enjoin other PhilHealth executives to provide all the necessary support Mr. De Jesus needs so our state health insurance continues to provide service to our people as urgent as the times today necessitate," he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan reiterated that the public clamor is for the replacement of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The public clamor is for a surgery of the cancer that is corruption not just in PhilHealth, but in the government offices responsible for the procurement of overpriced and sometimes ineffective medical equipment, devices, and supplies," he said in a statement.

He expressed dismay that a "band-aid" solution was given amid the pandemic and issues of corruption in the health sector.