(Eagle News)–The National Bureau of Investigation has filed charges against former PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales and eight others over alleged anomalies in the state insurer’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism.
Apart from Morales, charged for violations of Sections 3(e) and 3(i) of the anti-graft law; sections 251, 255, and 272 of the National Internal Revenue Code, section 4 of Republic Act No. 1051; and malversation of public funds or property were incumbent executive vice president and chief operating officer Arnel de Jesus, senior vice presidents Renato Limsiaco Jr. and Israel Francis Pargas, vice president for PhilHealth Regional Office National Capital Region (NCR) Gregorio Rulloda, PhilHealth Regional Office NCR Central Branch manager Lolita Tuliao, and Imelda Trinidad de Vera-Pe, Gemma Sibucao and Lailani Padua.
The charges stem from the allegedly questionable advances of funds to certain healthcare institutions in Metro Manila under the IRM.
“More complaints will be filed in the next few days/weeks against erring PhilHealth personnel and their cohorts,” Guevarra said.
A Department of Justice-led task force which probed the allegations of corruption in PhilHealth noted the PhilHealth executive committee and the board were negligent as IRM releases were rushed even if the circular implementing the scheme was not effective.
The task force said the board issued the circular making the IRM a “special privilege” on January 30, 2020, which meant funds could be made available every time a fortuitous event would arise.
The task force also noted that the IRM was implemented without sufficient standards and guidelines, making fund releases prone to abuse, and that IRM fund releases were made despite the absence of mechanisms to monitor fund utilization and liquidation, and without taxes due being withheld.
Newly-installed PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran has asked senior PhilHealth officials to resign as part of the reorganization in the state insurer, the Palace said.
