Investigation probably 'a little easier' after PhilHealth's SVP for legal quits —Guevarra

The resignation of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.'s (PhilHealth) legal sector chief will probably make a Malacañang-backed investigation into the state insurer "a little easier," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday.

PhilHealth's senior vice president for the legal sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr. quit his post following what he said was "trial by publicity" and his six-month preventive suspension ordered by the Office of the Ombudsman.

PhilHealth is under multiple investigations over allegations of corruption involving billions of pesos in funds.

"Del Rosario's resignation, if true, would probably make the investigation being conducted by Task Force PhilHealth a little easier," Guevarra, who heads the task force, said.

He said the task force has no authority to recommend replacements but has instead recommended the creation of a committee that would manage PhilHealth while investigations are underway.

The secretary said the task force has recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte that the Governance Commission for GOCCs be ordered to study the possible reorganization of PhilHealth and the creation of an interim management committee.

Guevarra earlier said that the legal sector of PhilHealth appears to be a "very ripe source of irregularities."

"This seems to be one of the biggest sources of allegedly fraudulent activities," he said in a televised briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte aired on Tuesday.

PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales, who is currently on medical leave due to lymphoma, has also said he will resign after Duterte reportedly said it would be better for him to step down given his health condition. —KBK, GMA News