Philhealth president Morales is considering going on leave amid corruption allegations

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales on Sunday said he is considering going on leave amid the issues hounding the agency.

Morales gave the remark during a virtual press conference on Sunday morning after Senate President Vicente Sotto III suggested the PhilHealth official go on leave to show "delicadeza," according to a report by Luisito Santos on Dobol B sa News TV.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Sotto said: "Ganu'n agad ang may delicadeza. 'Di mo na kailangan mag-leave. Iniimbestigahan ka, mag-leave ka. Delicadeza ang tawag doon."

Senator Panfilo Lacson on the other hand on Sunday said the PhilHealth official should resign unless the allegations could be refuted. 

"Unless ma-refute niya ito credibly itong mga alegasyon dito, na sabi ko nga may mga dokumento, walang ibang dapat puntahan kundi mag-resign. So far, at face value, sasabihin ko totoo ito dahil supported by documents," he said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

Morales on Sunday said the problem of corruption in the agency cannot be solved immediately even if the PhilHealth president is changed every month.

He said the problem involves long-term issues which also need long-term solutions.

Morales added that he joined PhilHealth as a favor to a friend.

The retired military general was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to the PhilHealth post in 2019.

Three PhilHealth officials resigned last week over alleged corrupt practices in the agency.

One of the officials is  Philhealth anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith, who mentioned four main reasons for his resignation.

The first is that he is against the mandatory PhilHealth contribution of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) because this, he said, is unconstitutional and not part of the Universal Healthcare Law.

The second reason Keith cited is the alleged rampant and unfair promotion process, which he said has to be investigated.

The third, meanwhile, is the delay in the release of his salary and hazard pay when he started an investigation of some PhilHealth officials, while the fourth is the alleged widespread corruption in the agency.

PhilHealth said Saturday it is prepared to undergo any investigation into alleged anomalies in the state-owned company.

“We welcome any investigation and will fully cooperate with the directive,” PhilHealth spokesperson Gigi Domingo said in a mobile message.

In a separate statement, the state health insurer said it has “nothing to hide.” —KG, GMA News