Gordon denies release of PhilHealth report a 'cover-up' for Duterte's men, says De Lima just bitter

Senate blue ribbon committee chairperson Richard Gordon on Wednesday dismissed Senator Leila De Lima's claim that the chairman's report he released was "a cover-up and damage control" for President Rodrigo Duterte "and his men" in PhilHealth.

"What can I expect from Senator De Lima? She's very bitter. That's her right, that's her privilege and I'll let it go by that," Gordon said in an interview on ANC.

"Wala naman akong hinihingi kay President Duterte. I haven't seen him for the last two or three years," he added.

Gordon, in the report based from Senate hearings last year, recommended the filing of criminal charges against former Health Secretary Janette Garin, former Budget Secretary Butch Abad, and former PhilHealth Alex Padilla for allegedly diverting P10.6 billion fund of the state health insurer.

All three have denied the allegation.

The report also recommended the removal of all PhilHealth regional vice presidents for allegedly benefiting from fraudulent claims.

But De Lima said Gordon's findings were far off from the issues raised during the recent Senate hearings and comes as a "Senate version of whataboutism."

"The Executive Summary released to the press does not appear to be an output of a Committee who conducted a legislative inquiry; it reads like a cover-up and damage control for Mr. Duterte and his men in PhilHealth," De Lima said.

Gordon, during the interview, dismissed insinuation that he is a Duterte lackey.

"Marami siyang posisyon na ayoko, ayoko 'yung mga statements niya na may kasamang [mura], na tinitira ang Simbahan. Bakit mo ipipilit na... Kayo guilt by association, I don't do that. Ako I find guilt by evidence," he said.

Gordon said he supports the Committee of the Whole report on alleged PhilHealth irregularities and only has one reservation about the liability of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in the implementation of the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism.

Asked if he thinks his colleagues would also sign the Senate blue ribbon committee report on PhilHealth, the senator said: "I hope so. I trust our senators but sometimes hindi mo mapigil 'yan merong mga partisan things na aabot diyan."

"Diyan makikita kung sino ang tunay na lalaki at kung sino ang tunay na para sa bayan. Basta ako I go by that... Maniwala kayo o hindi, that I stand on," he added.

Gordon said the Senate blue ribbon committee report on Dengvaxia in 2018 was not signed by some supporters of the former administration. --KBK, GMA News