Lacson: Resigned PhilHealth exec Laborte backed out from Senate probe due to security threat

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said resigned PhilHealth executive Estrobal Laborte backed out at the last minute from testifying at the "hybrid" Senate inquiry.

In a virtual interview, Lacson bared that Laborte, a former head executive assistant of PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales, logged in but subsequently logged out from the online platform.

"Si Col. Laborte nag-log in pero subsequently nag-leave siya ng meeting hindi na nagpasabi and then after the meeting, nagpasabi siya through a common contact na kung puwede beg off na lang siya di na siya mag-testify for several reasons, among them 'yung physical security," he said.

This was not the first time that Laborte was apparently stopped from divulging what he knows.

Laborte was "enthusiastic" and "excited" to divulge information about PhilHealth irregularities but sometime before his scheduled meeting with Lacson a few weeks ago, the potential whistleblower said he feels like he was being "followed," according to the senator.

"A few weeks ago, nag-signify na si Col. Laborte, nakipag-contact sa office namin... Sinet up ko 'yung meeting sana namin, last minute nagpasabi siya na hindi siya tutuloy kasi under threat siya and magre-resign na rin lang daw siya so hindi na natuloy ang aming meeting, this was about two to three weeks ago," Lacson said.

Laborte, part of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 2001, did not mention who he thinks is threatening his life.

Lacson said he gets this sense that the former head executive assistant also does not want to be tagged as a "squealer."

"Nabanggit niya sa akin, 'Ayaw ko naman masabi ng upperclassmen ko sir na ako nag-i-squeal.' Sabi ko naman sa kaniya 'Kung tama ang ipinaglalaban mo, hindi squealer ang tawag diyan, advocacy 'yan na gusto mong itama ang mali,'" he said.

The resigned PhilHealth executive was supposed to serve as a witness in the Senate hearing along with former anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith and incumbent Board member Alejandro Cabading.

'Medyo malaking kawalan'

Lacson said that despite his postponed meeting with Laborte and the latter's last minute withdrawal from the Senate hearing on Tuesday, PhilHealth documents have already been forwarded by the resigned officer.

"Wala siyang affidavit, nagbigay lang siya ng mga dokumento. Mayroon pa nga siyang pending na ibibigay na dokumento," he said.

"Medyo malaki [na kawalan]. Marami siyang alam, even before he decided to testify alam kong kung mag-o-all out siya, marami siyang sasabihin," he added.

Nonetheless, Lacson said the Senate inquiry does not merely rely on witnesses' accounts. He said they have documents in possession which he believes can even stand as evidence in court.

A subpoena can be issued to Laborte too, but Lacson said he will first try to persuade the latter to testify in the next Senate hearings.

Lacson also said he is inclined to push for granting legislative immunity and physical security for witnesses in the Senate probe on alleged irregularities in PhilHealth. — RSJ, GMA News