Go asks Gordon to inhibit from PhilHealth probes due to conflict of interest

Senator Bong Go on Tuesday told Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon to inhibit himself from inquiries involving the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) due to “conflict of interest.”

In a privilege speech, Go raised Gordon’s affiliation with the Philippine Red Cross.

He mentioned the multi-million memorandum of agreement that the PRC entered into with PhilHealth during the onset of the pandemic last year.

“In the spirit of fairness and impartiality, shouldn’t the Blue Ribbon Committee chair inhibit himself on further hearing or matters involving PhilHealth? Make no mistake, I will not present conclusions here without due process and fairness,” he added.

“Hindi ba may conflict of interest na isa sa pinapaimbestigahan mo ay katransaksyon ng organisasyon na pinamumunuan mo? Nagtatanong lang po ako,” Go asked.

(Isn't there conflict of interest when one of the agencies you were investigating has a transaction with Philippine Red Cross? Just asking.)

Gordon, as chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, has been demanding payments from PhilHealth for the COVID-19 tests that the humanitarian organization have conducted.

Go claimed that he has received reprimand from Gordon when he was asking for help to expedite the release of PhilHealth payments to PRC.

“Pinapagalitan mo, pati ako nadadamay, tinatawagan mo bakit hindi nababayaran. Ako kasamahan ko sa gobyerno, papagalitan mo kami. Ano namang kinalaman ko? Tulay lang po ako, kung maaari naging tulay lang po ako sa Executive para mapabilis po ang lahat ng proseso,” he said.

(You were scolding me, I had to deal with this matter when you called and asked me why the claims were not yet paid. I am your fellow servant. Why do I have to deal with that? I am just a bridge to the Executive to hasten the process.)

“Dagdag pa diyan, di ba disadvantageous sa gobyerno at against the law ang paghingi ng advanced payment?” he asked.

(Apart from that, isn’t the advanced payments disadvantageous to the government and isn't it against the law?)

Go did not elaborate on the matter, saying this issue should be saved for future discussion.

He said Gordon has no right to question his closeness with Duterte because he promised the President that he would never leave him.

"Anong karapatan mo na kwestyunin ang pagiging malapit ko sa Pangulo? Nangako ako sa Pangulo, hindi ko sya iiwanan habang buhay at amin na lang iyon dahil mahal ko ang Pangulo," he said.

(You have no right to question my closeness with the President. I promised the President that I will never leave him because I love the President.)

"As long as walang conflict sa trabaho ko at ginagampanan ko ang trabaho ko, wala kang karapatang kwestyunin ito, at wala kang pakialam (As long as there is no conflict with my job and I am doing my duties, you have no right to question our closeness and it is none of your business)," he added.—AOL, GMA News