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Palace defends appointment of ex-NBI director Dante Gierran as PhilHealth chief


Malacañang on Tuesday defended the appointment of lawyer-accountant Dante Gierran as president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), saying the leader of the embattled state insurer does not necessarily have to be a health expert.

Gierran, a former director of the National Bureau of Investigation, is qualified for the position given his legal and accounting background, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV,

Under the Universal Healthcare Law, the PhilHealth president must have at least seven years of experience in the field of public health, management, finance, and health economics or a combination of any of these expertise.

“Kanina po may nagsabi sa akin, di mo naman kinakailangan maging embalmer para maging manager ng isang memorial park,” Roque said.

“Hindi naman kinakailangan na talagang ikaw ay health expert para mapagana ang PhilHealth. Importante lang po siguro sa ngayon ay mawala ang korapsyon diyan nang sa ganun ay magamit ‘yung pondo ng PhilHealth para sa kalusugan ng lahat.”

Roque also said President Rodrigo Duterte wanted someone who will stamp out corruption in PhilHealth.

“I think Director Gierran is the best choice dahil siya ay CPA at lawyer din po na mayroon pang experience in criminal investigation,” the Palace official said in his regular press briefing.

“Asahan po nating malinis ang hanay ng PhilHealth sa natitirang termino ng ating Presidente na dalawang taon.”

Roque highlighted Gierran’s management experience.

“Director Gierran already has seven years management experience. Hindi naman po kinakailangan na health economics experience is one of the possibilities pero nag-qualify po siya sa seven-year management experience,” he said.

Gierran succeeded retired Army general Ricardo Morales, who resigned last week after Duterte said it would be best for him to go due to his unstable health condition and amid amid allegations of corruption hounding the state insurer.

Roque approved of Gierran’s appointment as he said the former NBI director had extended assistance to the whistle-blowers of the allegedly fraudulent PhilHealth claims scheme involving the WellMed Dialysis Center. 

The Palace official was the legal counsel for the two WellMed whistle-blowers. 

“Nung nalaman ko na siya [ang magiging susunod na PhilHealth president], naging kampante naman ang aking kalooban,” Roque said. —KBK/RSJ, GMA News

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