PhilHealth's Morales on Roque wanting him to be replaced: 'Siya na lang pumalit dito'

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president Ricardo Morales said Friday presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is welcome to find his replacement if the latter thinks he cannot implement the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.

“Masasabi ko kay Atty. Roque, be my guest. I will be very grateful if we can find somebody, baka siya. No problem with me. Anytime. But he’s not President, he’s the spokesman, that’s a different thing,” Morales said in an interview with ANC.

In a separate phone interview, the PhilHealth chief said Roque “might be overstepping” the President —the appointing authority.

“‘Yung sinasabi niya na they can find someone else, that is the statement of Atty. Roque, that’s not the statement of the President,” Morales told GMA News Online.

“Kung andun naman siya sa Malacañang, siya na magsabi na siya na lang pumalit dito...okay lang sa 'kin ‘yun,” he said.

This was in response to Roque’s statement Thursday that maybe it is time to find someone who can implement the law certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Kung hindi ninyo po mapapatupad ang isang batas na sinertify urgent ng Presidente mismo, dahil ang nais niya magkaroon ng libreng gamot at libreng pagamot ang lahat ng Pilipino gaya ng ginawa niya sa Davao, eh siguro po hahanap na lang po ng iba na pupuwedeng magpatupad niyan,” Roque said during a televised briefing.

Morales earlier told lawmakers that PhilHealth is projected to have a fund deficit in the next four years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down businesses and displaced millions of workers.

The workers are among those who pay insurance premiums to PhilHealth.

Morales recommended a general delay in the implementation of the Universal Health Care program as well as to postpone the expansion of the primary care benefit.

The presidential spokesperson said Morales’ recommendation has no legal basis.

“Ito po ay labag sa literal na probisyon ng batas at doon po sa intensiyon ng mga nagsulong ng batas na ito,” Roque, who backed the measure when he was still a party-list lawmaker, said.

He also said PhilHealth was losing money due to corruption, which Morales allegedly failed to address.

Morales refuted Roque’s claim, saying  around 20 PhilHealth officials and employees are facing charges before the National Bureau of Investigation and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.—with Ted Cordero/AOL, GMA News