Palace: President Duterte won’t fire PhilHealth chief Morales without evidence of corruption

(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte won’t fire PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales unless there is evidence of corruption against him, the Palace said on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

In a television interview, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President himself said this, noting that an investigation was already being conducted by the Senate and Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain.

“I think after the evidence are unearthed, the President will move and do the correct thing,” Roque said.

Newly-resigned PhilHealth anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith alleged the “widespread corruption” in PhilHealth, citing this as one of the reasons he submitted his resignation letter on July 23.

In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 4, Keith alleged Morales at one point asked him to talk to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and straighten out the issue stemming from the alleged overprice of COVID-19 testing kits.

Keith said he, however, refused.

Morales has so far not issued a statement on Keith’s new allegations, but he has already denied there was “widespread corruption” in the agency.