Ex-consultant, VACC to file raps vs. 19 persons of interest linked to DOH ‘mafia’

A former Department of Health (DOH) consultant and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) are preparing complaints against 19 persons of interests suspected to be part of an alleged DOH "mafia" involved in a supposed anomaly within the agency.

Dr. Francis Cruz said on GMA News TV's "News To Go" that he and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) have asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III for the service records of the 19 in connection to "plunder"-like activities involving the P3.55-billion fund for the Dengvaxia purchase.

"Kasi dun mo malalaman kung sino siya during sa time ni [former Health Sec. Janette] Garin. And I even requested them to submit SALNs because we have reports that some of them have assets not recorded in the SALN," Cruz said on Tuesday.

Cruz clarified that these 19 are only suspected of their involvement in the allegedly suspicious activities around the P3.55 billion fund and excluded other anomalous projects.

He said the VACC was already preparing a case using documents he had obtained after learning of the activities around March 2017.

"The administrative charge will come in within the next two months," Cruz said.

Cruz, good governance consultant to former Health chief Paulyn Jean Rosell Ubial, accused Garin and a dozen others of "plunder"-like activities such as the conversion of part of the P3.55-billion fund for the Dengvaxia purchase.

Garin allegedly sub-allotted P3 billion of the funds from the Department of Budget and Management to the Philippine Children's Medical Center and retained with the DOH the remaining P550 million.

"Up to now, they couldn't explain. And I saw some of the expenditures for the operations throughout the three regions, they got it from the dengue control program. About P30 million per region. So I'm asking: Where's the P550 million?" Cruz said.

The consultant said a notice of cast allocation from the DBM and the National Treasury supposedly indicated that the P550 million was re-allocated to alleged "ghost" projects such as non-existent barangay health stations under the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP).

"They made it a PDAF-lite. And I want them also to investigate, whether the Senate, the NBI (National Bureau of Investigations), or the DOJ, or even the House, the P12 billion procurement in 2015," Cruz said.

He admitted that he had no documents pertaining on the supposed P12 billion HFEP ghost programs and the "assorted medicines" allegations.

In her defense, Garin on Monday explained that the P550 million savings from the dengue vaccine procurement by the PCMC were still with the hospital.

"At alam ni Francis Cruz 'yan dahil tiningnan 'yan ni Secretary Ubial nung panahon niya at tiningnan niya kung paano gamitin at kung pwede bang gamitin sa ibang bagay," she said.

On the alleged ghost projects, Garin said, "I can assure you that during my time, wala pong ghost delivery ng equipment, walang ghost delivery ng mga gamot. Hindi ko po alam kung saan nanggagaling no, ang hugot ni Dr. Francis Cruz."

Garin then challenged Cruz to file a case against her based on solid evidence and documentation.

Duque echoed her sentiments and said Cruz must present evidence of incumbent DOH officials allegedly taking part in this "mafia" while they conduct their own investigation.

Meanwhile, Ubial vowed cooperation in any investigation that will be conducted on the alleged suspicious transactions made in the DOH during the past administration.

Cruz is confident that Ubial will back him up despite Ubial denying any knowledge about the so-called ghost projects in addition to finding the Dengvaxia procurement legal, if unethical. — Rie Takumi/MDM, GMA News