Hontiveros slams Mocha for linking her to PhilHealth anomalies, says it is diversionary tactic

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday refuted the allegations circulating in social media that she benefitted from PhilHealth anomalies during her tenure as Board member from 2014 to 2015.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, the opposition senator inferred that the accusation is just being hurled at her for being a staunch critic of the administration.

"Dahil siguro walang maibato sa akin ay gumawa na lang ng fake news at hanggang ngayon pinangangalandakan nina Mocha Uson," she said.

Hontiveros said the Senate will leave no stone unturned to identify the supposed mafia within PhilHealth, as well as its protector.

"Wala tayong sasantuhin, walang sacred cow, walang exception. Aalamin namin kung sino ang bumulsa [ng pondo] at siguraduhing ibalik sa taumbayan ang pera nila," she said.

"Kaya huwag pong ililihis ng diversionary tactics, huwag pong ililihis ng fake news peddlers tulad ni Mocha Uson ang imbestigasyon namin sa Senado," she added.

Hontiveros denied that she was involved in any form of corruption within PhilHealth. She also belied claims that Senator Bong Go himself accused her of doing so.

"Wala rin naman akong nabalitaang may sinabing ganoon si Sen. Bong Go sa akin. Kaming lahat ay nakatuon sa Senate Committee of the Whole sa imbestigasyon para tukuyin kung mayroon at sinu-sino ang miyembro ng isang grupo o mafia na gumawa ng korapsyon at nagpabaya sa pera ng mamamayan," she said.

Last week,  the Mocha Uson Blog—followed by over five million netizens—shared contents linking the opposition senator to irregularities in PhilHealth.

Hontiveros has slammed Uson for allegedly spreading those unfounded information.

"Kailangan ng tulong ng OFWs pero nagawa mo pang magkalat ng chismis sa isyu na pinabulaanan na ng COA at PhilHealth mismo," Hontiveros told Uson who is currently the deputy administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Uson, on the other hand, explained that she was not the one responsible for making those social media posts on the Mocha Uson Blog.

"Madam Sen. Hontiveros malinaw pa po sa sikat ng araw na ang nag-post ay isang blogger na nagngangalang AIN (posted by admin Ain) at para rin po sa kaalaman ninyo po eto po ang aking opisyal na page at ang MUB PAGE po ay samahan ng mga bloggers," Uson said in a Facebook post.

"Kesa na kayo ay praning na praning sana po ay sinagot ninyo nalang ang tanong ng blogger na si AIN kung wala kayong tinatago po. Salamat po," she added.

The Senate hearing on the alleged irregularities in PhilHealth will continue on Tuesday.—AOL, GMA News