Makabayan solons call for ouster of Morales, other execs amid PhilHealth corruption mess

Members of the House Makabayan Bloc on Thursday called for the removal of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) chief Ricardo Morales and other officials allegedly involved in supposed corruption within the agency.

At a press conference, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas challenged President Rodrigo Duterte to fire Morales from his post as she questioned the retired general's qualifications.

"In the first place, ano ang kaniyang background? Sa PhilHealth, meron diyang collatilla, kailangan meron kang finance background, kailangan ikaw ay health expert somehow, may mga ganun siyang pangangailangan," she said.

Brosas pointed out that during the recent congressional hearings on the alleged corruption schemes in PhilHealth, Morales had to pass the question to other officials in the agency as he did not know how to answer the queries of lawmakers.

"Alisin sa mga pwesto ang mga hindi naman bagay doon. Lalo na lumalabas sa mga imbestigasyon ng Kongreso na complicit sa kurapsyon," she said.

"Kaya nga siya nilagay diyan a year ago, I remember, ang sabi i-overhaul ang PhilHealth at kailangan ng tao na mapapagkatiwalaan. Isang taon ang lumipas, lalo lang umalingasaw, lalo lang bumaho ang usapin na yan," she added.

For her part, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Eufemia Cullamat expressed frustration that deductions are made from the salaries of ordinary workers for their PhilHealth contributions, only to be taken away through supposed corrupt activities.

"Treason o kataksilan sa bayan ang ganitong laki ng lansakang pandarambong sa pondo galing sa bulsa ng mamamayan para sa kanilang pangangailangan pero gobyerno mismo ang nagnakaw at tinatanggalan ang mga tao ng magagamit para sa kanilang pangangailangan," she said.

Meanwhile, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro went as far as to call for the abolition of PhilHealth, aside from the removal of Morales and other officials from their posts.

She pointed out that the P15 billion that the so-called "mafia" in PhilHealth allegedly looted could have been used to aid teachers and students in the upcoming school year especially that blended modes of learning will be employed.

"Dapat buwagin itong PhilHealth na ito at dapat yung mga pondo na nilalaan dito ay ilagay na lang sa mga ospital. Tama talaga yung Makabayan doon sa pagtutol natin sa Universal Health Care [Law]. Dahil ang gulugod ng Universal Health Care ay mula sa PhilHealth," Castro said.

"Kaya tama lang na buwagin ang PhilHealth at sibakin yung mula kay Morales pababa na involved dito sa kurapsyon at yung pondo para sa PhilHealth ay dalhin doon sa mga ospital," she added.

Malacañang said Duterte will not remove Morales from his position unless there is proof that the retired military general is engaged in corruption.

The PhilHealth chief has denied protecting corrupt officials in the agency despite claims by former  anti-fraud legal officer Thorsson Montes Keith that officials were able to steal some P15 billion from the state insurer through several fraudulent schemes. -MDM, GMA News