Duque on PhilHealth execs' resignation: No official acceptance yet

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday said President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to formally accept the courtesy resignation of some officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

"Wala pang official acceptance. Ang sabi sa akin ni Executive Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea ay mananatili rin muna sila hanggang sa mayroong official acceptance," Duque said in a phone interview on Unang Balita.

"Kailangan daw ng official acceptance bago sila umalis at habang nandiyan sila, magta-transition planning na. Hindi naman daw puwedeng basta iwanan mo. Maaantala ang serbisyo ng PhilHealth," he added.

On Monday, Duterte asked PhilHealth president Roy Ferrer and the board members to submit their courtesy resignations amid allegations of "ghost" kidney treatments.

Duque already met with the PhilHealth's board members.

Duque also said PhilHealth Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Basa would be the corporation's officer-in-charge (OIC).

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that secondary officials will run PhilHealth while its top officials are being probed over the ghost dialysis controversy.

Senator-elect Christopher “Bong” Go said Duterte is eyeing Dr. Jaime Cruz as the next president of PhilHealth.

PhilHealth spokesperson Gigi Domingo confirmed in a text message on Wednesday that Ferrer, along and other members of the board, filed their courtesy resignations on Tuesday.

The spokesperson, however, had yet to identify which of the presidential appointees on the board have already sent their resignations. — Anna Felicia Bajo with Margaret Claire Layug/KBK/BM, GMA News