Comelec OKs transfer of PhilHealth officials due to ‘incompetence, ineffective leadership’

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted the request of Health Secretary Ted Herbosa to reassign seven officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) due to “observed incompetence, gross negligence, and ineffective leadership."

Based on a memorandum dated October 16, signed by Comelec Chairman George Garcia, the poll body said it found the request of Herbosa seeking continuing authority to transfer or detail certain PhilHealth employees in compliance with Resolution No. 10924 and “justified in view of the nature of their functions,” amid the election ban for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). 

Herbosa also serves as chairperson of the PhilHealth Board of Directors. 

A letter by PhilHealth acting corporate secretary Lora Mangasar, as approved by Herbosa, indicated that the state health insurer “is currently facing critical operation needs,” which the Board of Directors hopes to address. 

“To uphold the interest of PhilHealth, the Board has decided to exercise its corporate powers to provide an independent check on the Management and its Officers,” the letter read. 

“The Board expresses its loss of confidence in certain members of the Management Executive Committee, namely: EVP and COO Atty. Eli Dino Santos, ASVP Nerissa Santiago, SVP Jovita Aragona, SVP Renato Limsiaco, SVP Atty. Jose Mari Tolentino, SVP Dennis Mas, and SVP Dr. Israel Francis Pargas due to their observed incompetence, gross negligence, and ineffective leadership, as manifested by their actions and decisions that have directly and adversely impacted the Corporation,” it added.

The Comelec Law Department recommended the approval of Herbosa’s request, provided that the transfer or detail is essential to the proper functioning of the office and shall not in any manner influence the conduct of the BSKE on October 30.

It shall also not involve promoting or giving any increase in salary, remuneration, or privilege during the 45-day period before the BSKE, and the authorization shall be prospective in application and without prejudice to the applicable Civil Service law, rules, and regulations on personnel actions or movements.

On September 22, PhilHealth was hit by a Medusa ransomware attack, prompting the temporary shutdown of its online systems.

The hackers leaked the compromised data days after the deadline for a ransom payment of about $300,000, or approximately P17 million, expired. Millions of people were affected by this data breach.

PhilHealth had also confirmed that its antivirus software had expired on April 15 and that it was not able to renew its subscription immediately due to complicated government procurement processes. —VBL, GMA Integrated News