Former PhilHealth legal officer surprised over inclusion in Senate Blue Ribbon report

Lawyer Jelbert Galicto on Wednesday expressed shock over his inclusion in a list of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) officers recommended to be investigated, saying he was part of a group that called out top officials for supposedly bad policies.

Galicto said he was surprised that his name was mentioned in the Senate Blue Ribbon committee report released by Senator Richard Gordon, as issues being investigated did not concern him as a former PhilHealth legal officer in the Caraga region.

"Nagulat ako because in the first place, hindi ako regional vice president... I'm just a lawyer that happens to be taga-Mindanao," he said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

This comes as Galicto's name was included in a list of PhilHealth officials recommended by the Senate committee to be investigated by the Ombudsman for possible corrupt practices and administrative offenses.

Several regional vice presidents have been tagged as "untouchables," as they supposedly refused to be reassigned in other PhilHealth offices, and chose to stay in their locations for decades.

"Hindi din ako na-reassign, hindi rin ako nag-resist ng reassignment na sinasabi niya, kasi nga rank and file ako, I cannot be reassigned under Civil Service laws as a matter of general rule, but alam ko may mga compelling reasons pero generally, rank and file cannot be reassigned. So ako rin hindi ako na-reassign," said Galicto.

Asked why he was included in the list of supposedly corrupt officials, Galicto said he was part of a group that voiced concerns over policies that would ultimately be negative for the agency should they be implemented.

"Kasi for more than 10 years now, kami 'yung palaging we call out the bad policies and bad decisions ng management... If you are questioning 'yung mga top officials natin, lalo na mga presidential appointees, people who have the power to make your life miserable, if you question their decisions and policies would you do it alone?" he said.

"Gagawin mo ba mag-isa? Hindi. You’d find like-minded officers na pareho kayo ng mga sentimyento and you will raise it collectively, not as a group but collectively. Hindi lang naman mga RVPs ng Mindanao or ano, but lahat 'yan, Visayas saka Luzon. 'Yung iba lang talaga is takot," he added.

According to Galicto, other officials were scared to voice out their opposition to policies they deemed disadvantageous for the agency, as they would be reassigned by the management.

"Whenever you question policies in PhilHealth or decisions in PhilHealth, lalo na 'pag mga bad policies na gustong gusto nila, you'll be persecuted, ire-reassign ka," he said.

PhilHealth and its officials are under investigation over the alleged overpriced purchase of an information technology system worth over P2 billion.

In the previous Senate hearing, resigned anti-fraud officer Thorsson Montes Keith claimed that the PhilHealth "mafia," composed of the executive committee, stole some P15 billion through fraudulent schemes such as the interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM).

PhilHealth, in a statement, has since denied such claims and has since suspended the IRM.

In the Senate hearing, Keith also said members of the Mindanao group, which includes Galicto, have "no capacity to steal".—AOL, GMA News