Senate looking for owners of 'favored' dialysis center allegedly linked to P9.7M miscredited to rural bank

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday ordered the secretariat of the Committee of the Whole to find the owner of the dialysis center that has allegedly received "questionable" releases from the PhilHealth's Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).

During a Senate hearing, Senator Joel Villanueva said B Braun Avitum Philippines Inc. in Benguet was given P11.38 million on May 5 through the IRM.

He pointed out that PhilHealth's advance payments to dialysis centers like B Braun were provided up to the maximum limit when IRM releases to COVID-19 hospitals only hovered around 50 to 70 percent.

Senator Panfilo Lacson presented a document indicating that B Braun is allegedly the same health care institution involved in the P9.7 million that was wrongly miscredited to Balanga Rural Bank in Bataan in May 2019.

"As you can see there are 11 deposits made on different dates, just one account number, ang health care institution name attributed B Braun," Lacson said.

Resigned PhilHealth anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith said he has reason to believe that PhilHealth Senior Vice President Rodolfo Del Rosario is the owner of the B Braun.

Del Rosario has denied the allegation.

"I categorically deny that I have interest in any dialysis center or any health care provider for that matter and this is one of the lies of Atty. Thorrsson and I hope he will face the consequences if this allegation proves to be a lie and so untrue," Del Rosario said.

During the same hearing, Del Rosario denied links to the P9.7 million that was wrongly credited to Balanga Rural Bank after Keith said that the former had "frequent visits" to Bataan.

"Napunta ako ng Balanga, Bataan because there was a staff meeting sa Department of Health. Ang mga area meetings po noon, doon po ginaganap," Del Rosario said. -- BAP, GMA News