'NAISIP PO NATIN YAN'

Ex-PhilHealth SVP Del Rosario eyes WPP inclusion but no offers yet

Resigned PhilHealth senior vice president for the legal sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr. is hoping that the information he shared with the task force that looked in the alleged irregularities in the health insurer will be helpful in its ongoing investigation.

Though he has not been offered yet, Del Rosario told Dobol B sa News TV on Wednesday that inclusion in the government Witness Protection Program (WPP) is something he has thought of.

"Naisip po natin 'yan pero sa ngayon ay wala pang offer or anything na patungkol po diyan (WPP)," he said.

Del Rosario tendered his irrevocable resignation last month after he was ordered suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman based on a complaint that he said stemmed from his actions against erring officials of the state insurer.

He, however, was not included in the list of PhilHealth officials that the Department of Justice-led task force has recommended for charges.

Del Rosario said he was happy that he was not included in the list but saddened that some of his former colleagues, including former PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales, were included.

He also said he is hoping that the task force will push through with its investigation to get to the bottom of the irregularities in PhilHealth.

"Marami tayong ni-refer na mga information na maaaring makatulong sa kanila sa pagtingin at pagtuklas ng mga anomalya po sa PhilHealth," he said.

Del Rosario said the information he shared does not involve the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) and the bidding for PhilHealth's IT system which were the focus of the task force's initial investigation. He said the information involves "external fraud" that's been going on for years.

"Ini-expect po natin na ito po ay matutukan ng ating mga imbestigador," he said, adding cases have been filed against PhilHealths officials — mosty regional VPs and doctors — regarding this alleged external fraud.

Del Rosario said these cases could be linked to the six-month preventive suspension order slapped on him by the Ombudsman over a complaint accusing him of "oppression."

"Ito po ay mga kaso na administratibo na sinampa sa ilang mga opisyal ng PhilHealth kung saan yung kanilang mga areas of jurisdiction ay talamak po yung fraud against PhilHealth, so yun po, sila ay nagsampa ng reklamo laban sa atin," he said.

He said the cases filed against the officials ranged from administrative to criminal. —KBK, GMA News