Morales seeks medical leave amid corruption allegations in PhilHealth

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President Ricardo Morales on Monday said he is seeking medical leave due to his condition even amid allegations of corruption in the agency.

According to a medical certificate submitted to the Senate Committee of the Whole, which is investigating the alleged corruption, Morales is undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with lymphoma.

Morales' oncologist sent the letter ahead of the resumption of the Senate's inquiry on PhilHealth corruption on Tuesday, August 11.

“If you look at the history of this corporation, ang bilis magpalit ng CEO, causing delays. I did not want to resign, because we will be implementing Universal Health Care law, and then we were hit by COVID. It is not wise to change the course in the middle of the road,” Morales said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

“But nature has intervened. I will take the doctor’s advice. I already relayed to my boss my intentions. It is up for them to decide. It is medical leave,” added Morales, a retired military general.

Asked if President Rodrigo Duterte will appoint an officer-in-charge of PhilHealth while Morales is on medical leave, Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said: "[I] will find out."

Roque said he was on his way to Davao City, where the President is expected to give his weekly address to the public on the COVID-19 crisis and other national concerns.

Morales, however, refused to discuss his ailment, the reason why he did not tell the senators of his cancer ahead of the Senate hearing last week, and the reason why he eventually disclosed his sickness after the details of allegations of corruption against PhilHealth were revealed.

“My privacy was violated. [I sent them to the Senate] para lang payagan ako mag-appear [sa hearing] online. That is all,” Morales said.

He said the same thing in a statement issued on Sunday: “As President and Chief Executive, it is my duty to represent the corporation while still physically capable. I regret that my privacy was not respected.”

“It really embarrasses me to talk about my personal condition. I would prefer that we would not discuss it. I have been exposed enough, humiliated enough,” Morales said in the TV interview on Monday. 

Morales, however, maintained that he did not sit on PhilHealth’s fraud problems and that PhilHealth has unearthed P4.5 billion worth of potential fraud cases. 

“These are 20,000 cases, 8,000 of them in the main office, and in the regions,” Morales said. 

During a Senate hearing last week, PhilHealth’s former anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith accused PhilHealth’s senior officials of pocketing P15 billion through several fraudulent schemes.

Keith said the schemes include cash advances, the use of the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism, and the continuous procurement of IT equipment the agency already has.

PhilHealth officials have denied this, saying that the P15 billion was the fund for Interim Reimbursement Mechanism released to a total of 711 health care facilities “to assure efficient response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Palace has already formed an inter-agency task force to investigate corruption allegations against PhilHealth. 

Morales, however, is confident that he will be cleared of the charges. 

“Yeah, [I am confident that I will be cleared]. Baka mapahiya pa nga ako kasi ang liit lang ng bahay ko,” Morales said. 

“I might be embarrassed, but I have nothing to hide,” Morales added. —with Virgil Lopez/KBK/KG, GMA News