Go confident Morales will still help in PhilHealth probe despite illness

Senator Bong Go believes that Philippine Health Insurance Corp. chief Ricardo Morales will still cooperate in the ongoing Senate investigation into the alleged irregularities in the agency despite his medical condition.

Go made the remark after Morales and PhilHealth executive vice president Arnel De Jesus disclosed their unfavorable medical conditions to the Senate ahead of the continuation of its hearing on Tuesday.

"I am confident na tutulong pa rin siya sa imbestigasyon. Hindi siya titigil rin na malaman kung ano talaga ang problema sa PhilHealth," Go said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

Go recalled that in the previous Senate hearing, he asked Morales if he could rid PhilHealth of corruption as he was specifically installed by President Rodrigo Duterte to his position for that purpose.

"Nabanggit niya kaya basta matuloy raw yung IT nila para ma-check daw ang system dahil may mga edad daw doon na 130 years old na. And I'm confident na tutulong si General Morales at tutulong with the task force," Go said.

Morales' oncologist reportedly sent a medical certificate to the Senate Committee of the Whole Friday night. According to the medical certificate, Morales is undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with lymphoma, and his condition has made him immuno-compromised and prone to infections.

The PhilHealth chief, 67, was advised by his doctor to take a leave of absence.

Sixty-one-year-old De Jesus, meanwhile, sent his official communication to the office of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, informing the latter that he cannot attend the hearing on Tuesday due to an "unforeseen medical emergency."

The PhilHealth official, who was diagnosed with various illnesses including acute coronary syndrome, hypertensive heart disease, and diabetes type 2, has been admitted at the hospital since August 5, and is scheduled to undergo an angiogram, angioplasty, and pulse generator replacement.

Go said that while he does not have information yet if Morales indeed would take a leave of absence due to his medical condition, the PhilHealth chief supposedly informed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea that he will only finish the Senate hearings before taking a break.

"As of now, wala akong naririnig na ganun (take a leave of absence). Parang ipinaabot niya lang sa executive secretary na tatapusin niya lang itong hearing," he said.

With his, Go said the Senate should already finish its hearings on the matter immediately so that PhilHealth could already proceed with providing needed assistance to the public especially to COVID-19 patients.

"Itong sa COVID, malaki ang inaasahan ng taumbayan sa PhilHealth na sila ang magdedeliver at tutulong lalo na sa mga pasyente. Dapat tapusin na ito at ang task force to start working," he said.

Duterte has ordered the creation of an inter-agency task force to probe the allegations of anomalies in PhilHealth composed of the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Office of the Executive Secretary, Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.

"Magtrabaho na sila, imbestigahan na nila, kasuhan na nila, i-lifestyle check nila yung mga sangkot diyan, at kung maaari ay i-suspinde o i-dismiss. Ikulong ang dapat ikulong," Go said. —LBG, GMA News