Justice Sec urges PhilHealth execs to go on leave amid corruption probe

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has urged PhilHealth officials implicated in corruption allegations to voluntarily go on leave to facilitate the ongoing investigation.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III supports the call for PhilHealth executives to go on leave to ensure transparency in the investigation.

The call for leave comes as Task Force PhilHealth investigates alleged corrupt activities, including the alleged misuse of P15 billion through the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism and overpriced IT projects.

Former PhilHealth anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith made these accusations, which PhilHealth officials, including President and CEO Ricardo Morales, have denied.

Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chief Greco Belgica noted that PhilHealth's lack of a validation mechanism for claims exposes P2 billion to P3 billion weekly to corruption.

Vergeire explained that the PhilHealth Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) is based on historical figures and justified larger advances by factors such as hospital size, patient volume, and technological capabilities.