(Eagle News) — A high-ranking official of PhilHealth resigned on Thursday, Aug. 6.
In a letter sent to PhilHealth Chief Ricardo Morales, a copy of which was also given to Senate President Tito Sotto, Augustus de Villa said he was tendering his “irrevocable resignation” as senior vice president for operations effective immediately but did not state the reason.
De Villa, a retired general, said Morales “knows fully well the reasons” as he briefed him in his residence.
“Be assured that I will make myself available for the ongoing investigations in aid of legislation in both houses of the Congress of the Philippines,” he said.
“I thank President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the full membership of the Board of Directors for giving me the opportunity for ‘selfless service to God and country, (with) honor and excellence’ well beyond my retirement in 2019 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he added.
Apart from Congress, Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission are probing the allegations of corruption in PhilHealth.
The PACC earlier said it had recommended sanctions against 36 PhilHealth officials.
The corruption allegations were made by Thorrsson Montes Keith, who recently resigned as anti-fraud officer of the state insurer.
PhilHealth has denied its senior officials had pocketed P15 billion as alleged by Keith in a recent Senate hearing.
Morales also downplayed Keith’s allegations, saying the newly-resigned employee bore grudges because he had been rejected for a promotion.
