Task force aims to submit report on PhilHealth probe by Sept. 14

The inter-agency task force created by President Rodrigo Duterte to investigate the alleged irregularities at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is targeting to submit a report of their findings to the chief executive by September 14, Department of Justice spokesperson Undersecretary Markk Perete said Sunday.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, Perete said the task force has been given a deadline of 30 days from the date of constitution to submit a report to the President.

"Na-constitute 'yung task force noong August 14. Ang ating 30th day ay September 14," he said. "'Yung plano ng task force is to meet that deadline."

Duterte ordered the creation of the inter-agency task force to investigate the allegations thrown against PhilHealth, such as the audit of the agency's finances and conduct of lifestyle checks on its officials and employees.

The task force is composed of the Department of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Office of the Executive Secretary, Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission. 

Perete reported that the witnesses they invited to testify in their probe have so far been cooperative, although there are some documentary evidence that they have yet to obtain due to the preventive suspension of some PhilHealth officials.

"Nag-create 'yung task force ng tinatawag nating composite teams and these are smaller teams in terms of the number of agencies participating in the work of the team," he said.

"Dalawa 'yung na-create natin, isa for IT, isa for legal, at 'yung gagawin nila ay sila 'yung pupunta mismo sa PhilHealth to get the records, to check and validate 'yung mga sinabi ng mga nagsalita before the task force, among others," the DOJ official added.

Perete said the task force is particularly concerned with claims that the PhilHealth's IT system could not prevent fraud. 

At the same, they are also alarmed over the small number of administrative and criminal cases filed against erring officials of the agency, he said.

"In our last conversation kasi with Atty. [Rodolfo] Del Rosario who was the former SVP ng legal department, ang nasabi niya sa atin ay 'yung filing ng administrative cases against the employees, nagkaroon daw ng some sort of a management policy that discouraged 'yung filing dahil gusto nilang i-encourage 'yung teamwork and cooperation among the employees ng PhilHealth," Perete said.

"And doon naman sa filing ng criminal cases, nahihirapan daw sila dahil kailangang ibaba 'yun sa mga regional offices. At wala daw kakayahan 'yung regional offices na 'yung agaran at mabilisang pagfa-file ng mga criminal case na ito. We are also validating those claims. Precisely 'yan ay isa sa mga trabaho ng composite team," he added.

Perete said the amount that could have been lost due to anomalies in PhilHealth reached billions.

"Doon lamang sa legal department, 'yung non-filing of cases, ayon kay Atty. Del Rosario, in one case, sa administrative na kaso, ang amount involved daw doon is P2.1 billion," he said.

"Doon naman sa cases against healthcare institutions na hindi nai-file 'yung criminal complaint, ang kanyang estimate is mga P4.7 billion. Doon pa lamang nakikita na natin na malaki na. That is just one part ng organization ng PhilHealth," the DOJ official added.

For now, the inter-agency task force is looking to recommend a revamp of the entire PhilHealth system in order to resolve issues of irregularities, Perete said.

"Isa sa mga tinitignan natin is if ever there's going to be a need to change 'yung system sa PhilHealth para 'yung fraud will easily be detected and ma-prevent siya," he said.

While they were given 30 days to finish their investigation, Perete believes their work could go beyond the said period.

"Sabi nga ni Sec. [Menardo] Guevarra, it's either 'yung task force may work even beyond the 30-day period, but of course we need to submit the report to the President within the 30-day period, pero baka mag-spillover 'yung trabaho beyond that period," he said. 

"And at the same time, we are hoping the new officers who will take the helm ng PhilHealth will continue with the reforms or what has been started by the task force," Perete added.

The Senate Committee of the Whole has already wrapped its investigation into the PhilHealth issue, while the House joint panel has yet to conclude its own probe. —KG, GMA News