PhilHealth chief Morales denies lying about presence in Zoom meeting ‘shouting match’

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) chief Ricardo Morales on Tuesday said he did not deny that he was present in the reported shouting match via Zoom last month which sparked the latest allegations of corruption within the state health insurer.

During a Senate hearing, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Morales was asked in a radio interview by broadcaster Arnold Clavio if he was there in the online "bull session" but the latter supposedly said no.

"Nakikinig ako noong sinabi mo 'yun eh. Bakit mo sinabing wala kayo roon eh nandoon kayo?" Sotto asked.

"Hindi ho. Sinabi ko ho na nandoon ako, 'yung sinasabi nilang may shouting match. I confirmed ho na I was in that meeting. Baka iba ho ang na-refer ko na, may ibang counsel na nirerefer na wala doon," Morales replied.

"I must have been misquoted but I was in that meeting," he added.

But Sotto insisted he heard it himself and added that the radio announcers even talked to him on the phone, quite confused about the PhilHealth chief's denial.

"Siguro 'yung definition ng shouting match kasi ang sa ano ko, hindi naman kami nagsigawan ng shouting match," Morales said.

After Morales confirmed that he was present in the said Zoom meeting, Sotto dropped the topic and yielded the floor to Senator Francis Tolentino again.

The resignation letter of anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith surfaced after the so-called shouting match took place. — RSJ, GMA News