Morales, Limsiaco among those who may be implicated in PhilHealth IRM mess, says Lacson

PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales and senior vice president for management sector Renato Limsiaco Jr. are among those who may face charges over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM), Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday.

In a virtual interview, Lacson said the Senate Committee of the Whole may recommend slapping the two with malversation of public funds and property.

"Nakalagay roon accountable officers. Maliwanag si SVP Renato Limsiaco Jr. kasi maliwanag naman siya nagdi-disburse, and incidentally si President Morales kasi inamin niya nung nagkaroon ng pagdinig na siya nag-approve ng pag-release ng pondo na alam natin ngayon ay illegal on several counts," he said.

Lacson reiterated that the IRM implementation was faulty not only because it was executed prior to the release of documents that should have served as its backbone, but also because the dialysis centers and maternity care providers that received cash advances from PhilHealth should not have been beneficiaries of the IRM.

Violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Internal Revenue Code are among the cases that will be recommended by the panel to be filed against erring PhilHealth officials, he added.

The Senate Committee of the Whole's report would revolve around the IRM, the alleged overpriced IT equipment, and the supposed manipulation of financial statements. It is expected to be released next week after three Senate hearings that lasted almost 10 hours each.

Lacson said the resignation of Morales and Senior Vice President for Legal Sector Rodolfo Del Rosario would not have any effect on their possible criminal liabilities.

"Ang mawawala is administrative culpability dahil nag-resign sila wala na sila pananagutan administratively. Pwera na lang kung may dapat na damage na dapat harapin sa aspeto ng civil," he said.

Asked if the regional vice presidents would be held accountable too, Lacson said: "Sa akin, bilang investigator habang buhay, parang kung meron silang kinalaman o sila ang mafia bakit nila guguluhin? They won’t rock the boat 'di ba? Tahimik lahat kung kumikita sila."

Lacson was referring to the so-called "Mindanao group" whose integrity the Senate witnesses have vouched for.

On the other hand, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chair Richard Gordon recommended for the removal of all PhilHealth regional vice presidents, claiming these officials have their own kingdoms and were actually benefiting from fraudulent claims.—AOL, GMA News