Makabayan Bloc, KMP demand PhilHealth execs resign over P15B fund mess

The Makabayan Bloc and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) are demanding the resignation of PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales and other officials due to alleged P15 billion fund irregularities.

A former PhilHealth anti-fraud officer described the anomalies as the "crime of the year" and called PhilHealth executive committee officers "in-house mafia members".

PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Operations Augustus de Villa has resigned, citing personal reasons, but vowed to cooperate with investigations.

PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales defended himself and other executives, stating that all evidence presented in a Senate probe can be explained.

The chief information officer reiterated that the P320,000 price for each of the 15 CISCO network switches was justified, making the actual cost P419,946 per unit.

Morales stated there is no reason to doubt the people at PhilHealth and that he and his fellow executives felt "worn out" from the 10-hour Senate hearing.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III stated that the failure of PhilHealth officials to properly explain the alleged irregularities should be enough proof of their involvement in corruption.

Sotto believes that incompetence in governance legitimizes a corrupt and broken system and that the inability of top officials to explain lapses is evidence of deception.