Task force to wind up hearings on PhilHealth anomalies next week

The task force ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte to investigate alleged corruption in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will wind up its hearings next week, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Friday.

Task Force PhilHealth will then study the information it has gathered and prepare its report and recommendations to Duterte, Guevarra said.

Guevarra, who heads the task force, earlier said they hope to be able to go after the people responsible for the PhilHealth "mess," whether or not they are incumbent.

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the task force has heard 12 witnesses so far.

While the task force has to submit its report to Duterte by September 14, their teams will continue to investigate the "more complicated" PhilHealth cases of graft or fraud and file the appropriate charges beyond that date, Guevarra said.

He also said the National Bureau of Investigation, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and the Commission on Audit will "try" to conclude their ongoing investigations or special audits.

The Office of the Ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission, he said, will "exert efforts" to resolve already pending cases before their offices.

Lawmakers have also launched investigations into alleged anomalies in the state insurer, ranging from the use of the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) to overpricing in the purchase of IT equipment.

In another alleged anomaly, the DOJ said PhilHealth spent double by approving claims of hospitals that had already been reimbursed under the IRM.

PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales resigned amid these investigations. Duterte has appointed former National Bureau of Investigation director Dante Gierran to replace him.

Gierran has vowed to address corruption in the corporation within the next two years.—LDF, GMA News