Tulfo, Ledesma clash over PhilHealth 'corruption' issue

Senator Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday questioned the merit of Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. as the new acting president of PhilHealth after the latter said he sees no corruption happening in the agency.

During the inquiry of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography on the several measures amending the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, Tulfo asked Ledesma to clean and remove the corrupt personnel in PhilHealth.

“Siguro po, maglinis-linis kayo. Linisin niyo po ang PhilHealth. Mag-imbestiga kayo kung sinu-sino doon ang involved sa korapsyon. From then, maniniwala ako na magiging maayos na ang takbo ng PhilHealth. Maniniwala kaming lahat,” the lawmaker said.

(Maybe you should clean PhilHealth. Investigate those who are involved in corruption. From then on, we will believe that PhilHealth will do better.)

While admitting that he promised to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. that he would address the possible shortcomings of PhilHealth, Ledesma, who took his oath on November 24 last year, appealed to the committee to give him a “honeymoon period” to do so.

“Personally, I don’t know if there’s all this talk — if it’s there, if it’s not there. I have been actively looking since I joined, although I’m telling you, so far po, to be honest, wala po akong nakikita [I don’t see any corruption],” Ledesma said.

Tulfo said he was offended by such a remark, considering that there have been investigations into the alleged corruption involving the state health insurer's fund, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You’re making stupid out of us, of all of us. Kasi na-media na po ‘yan, kumalat na po ‘yan. Paulit-ulit na lang ‘yan sa media na mga ‘yung bogus claims, meron na ngang na-Ombudsman, may mga na-imbestigahan, pero sabi mo wala ka pa ring nakikita,” he said.

(That issue has been in the media, and it has spread. Issues on the bogus claims were repeated over and over in the media, some were already investigated, but you still say you don't see any corruption.)

“Kailangang tanggapin mo na meron talagang problema sa PhilHealth. ‘Wag po ‘yung you’re in denial...sasabihin mong, ‘Wala, malinis kami.’ Then, I’m sorry, sir, then you are not good for that position. For you to be able to clean your organization that has been tarnished with corruption, first you have to accept that there is really corruption. Do not be in denial. That’s the only way para ma-solve mo ang problema,” he continued.

(You have to accept that there is a real problem in PhilHealth. Don't be in denial and say that you are clean. Then, I'm sorry, sir, then you are not good for that position. For you to be able to clean your organization that has been tarnished with corruption, first you have to accept that there is really corruption. Don't be in denial. That's the only way you can solve the problem.)

In October 2020, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed graft and malversation complaints against several PhilHealth executives, including former PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales, over alleged anomalies in the state health insurer's Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM).

Former President Rodrigo Duterte also formed an inter-agency body to probe the corruption allegations in PhilHealth.

Ledesma said he did his own research on the issue, but said that he does not want to “falsely accuse anybody” until there is hard evidence to prove the corruption claims.

Tulfo said that with this statement, the PhilHealth chief is seemingly shielding all those involved in the allegation.

“I feel sorry about you. I feel sorry about PhilHealth kung katulad mo po ang magpapatakbo ng PhilHealth. I feel sorry about PhilHealth and all members kung ganon rin ang istilo mo ng pamamalakad sa PhilHealth. I’m sorry. Unless kung baguhin niyo ang inyong pananaw sa pagpapatakbo ng isang agency na who is well known to be graft-ridden for a year or two or for many years, eh walang mangyayaring pagbabago,” he added.

(I feel sorry about you. I feel sorry about PhilHealth if it is run by someone like you. I feel sorry about PhilHealth and all members if this is your style of running PhilHealth. I'm sorry. Unless you change your perspective on how to operate an agency that is well known to be graft-ridden for a year or two or for many years now, nothing will change.)

Senator JV Ejercito, principal author of the UHC law, said that the Senate would call for a separate hearing to discuss the corruption issues and other problems hounding PhilHealth. —KBK, GMA Integrated News