PhilHealth chief Morales to file resignation letter Wednesday

Embattled PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales on Wednesday said he would file his resignation within the day, two days after President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly said it would be better for him to quit his post amid his health condition.

In a radio interview, Morales said he would submit a hard copy of his resignation letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Wednesday morning.

"Ngayong umaga I have to file it so that merong hard copy," Morales, a retired military general, said. "Alam mo naman byurokrasya tayo eh." 

On Tuesday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Duterte thinks it is best for Morales to give up his post due to his unstable health condition.

Guevarra told reporters that Duterte took note of Morales’ “on-and-off health situation” during a meeting with Cabinet officials and members of the inter-agency COVID-19 task force in Davao on Monday night.

Morales is currently on medical leave due to lymphoma. 

"Para akong nabunutan ng tinik," Morales said of his resignation from PhilHealth, as he thanked Duterte for trusting him.

"Malaki ang pasamalamat ko sa pangulo natin. He never wavered in his confidence in me. I'm so humbled by his loyalty," he said.

Morales maintained that there is not "an iota of evidence" that would link him to the alleged irregularities at PhilHealth, specifically with regards to the interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM) and the overpricing of an IT system. —KBK, GMA News