PhilHealth chief Gierran's cautiousness 'too reckless,' says Gordon

PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran's fears apparently hold back the release of the state health insurer's payment for its P1 billion debt to the Philippine Red Cross, the humanitarian organization's chairman Senator Richard Gordon said on Tuesday.

"Ang naririnig kong sinasabi niya, hearsay ito ha, 'Pag umalis ang Presidente, bagong administrasyon, ako ang iimbestigahan. So dapat maingat ako. Sobrang ingat," Gordon said in an online interview. "Sobra ngang ingat para sa kaniya, sobrang reckless para sa mga tao na hindi mate-test."

"I am totally perplexed why he is acting this way. I don't want to lose our friendship," he added.

Gierran replaced former PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales who resigned from the post in August.

Gordon described Gierran as a "new guy in the block surrounded by all kinds of snakes, jackals, and hyenas."

"Natatakot siya gumalaw... I think natatakot siya kung sino ang pagtitiwalaan niya. 'Yun ang mahirap, Mahirap talaga 'yun," he said.

Last Friday, PhilHealth committed to pay its outstanding balance for the COVID-19 tests that were conducted by the PRC but Gordon lamented that there is still no payment as of Tuesday afternoon.

"Even assuming that they doubt, magbayad sila then sue us kung talagang may kasalanan kami," Gordon said, emphasizing that Secretary Menardo Guevarra himself was among those who gave the go signal to PhilHealth to pay its debt.

"Either nag-iingat masyado to the point of stupidity or somebody's getting a free pass. The lack of testing by the Red Cross has opened up opportunities for private laboratories," he said.

During the same interview, the senator revealed that he has been receiving complaints from some sources that those arriving in airports are being charged to up to P20,000 for a COVID-19 test package which comes with hotel accommodation.

Gordon did not give any conclusive remarks as to whether the PRC would terminate its deal with PhilHealth after the debt is settled.

But he said PhilHealth should be a better partner in the detection of COVID-19 cases in the country.

"They will really have to show good faith because they have shown us nothing but bad faith and a lot of pain, a lot of stress," he said.

"If I do open myself there, I want them to pay on time. There will never be an extension anymore. What the contract provides, they must follow," he added.

Gordon said "on time" means PhilHealth's payments should be released within three days after it receives the billing from the PRC.—AOL, GMA News