PhilHealth execs behind questionable advance payments, IT budget may face graft charges —Drilon

Published August 12, 2020 04:39 PM By DONA MAGSINO,GMA News

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday warned that erring PhilHealth officials proven to have a hand in the questionable Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) and alleged overpricing of IT equipment could be slapped with graft charges.

In a virtual interview with reporters, Drilon cited Section 3 (g) of the anti-graft law which states that "entering, on behalf of the Government, into any contract or transaction manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the same, whether or not the public officer profited or will profit thereby" can be considered a corrupt practice.

"The IRM as asserted by no less than the COA chairman said that you have to liquidate within a reasonable period of time and the COA said it has been four months and up to now there is no liquidation," Drilon said.

"The way the IRM is implemented, favoritism is very clear, giving advantage to some regions while denying the same privilege to other regions," he added.

The IRM provides for PhilHealth's advance payments to health care institutions affected by natural disasters, calamities, and other fortuitous events.

However, its implementation amid the pandemic has been heavily questioned as dialysis centers

and maternity clinics have apparently been prioritized, in terms of releases, compared to hospitals that are actually handling COVID-19.

PhilHealth, on the other hand, maintained that there is no favoritism in the releases under the IRM.

Drilon said that graft charges may also be filed against PhilHealth officials if proven that they are involved in overpricing of IT equipment.

The involvement of PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales in the irregularities has not been established yet but if proven that he indeed had "negligence," the anti-graft law could be used against him too, according to the Senate leader.

"It is also clear to me that the people around him are doing something else. In the street language, napapaikutan si Mr. Morales. He should take stock of this. He should take strong and aggressive measures," Drilon said.

Morales, diagnosed with lymphoma, is scheduled to go on a medical leave starting next week. — BM, GMA News

View on GMA News