Rep. Garin calls Senate report a joke

Iloilo Representative and former health secretary Janette Garin has dismissed the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's report recommending criminal charges against her as a "big joke."

She accused Senator Richard Gordon, the committee chair, of using his position to target her due to her past refusal to be manipulated by the "Philhealth Mafia" during her term.

The Senate panel's report recommended filing charges against Garin, ex-budget chief Florencio Abad, and former PhilHealth president Alexander Padilla over the alleged diversion of P10.6 billion in PhilHealth funds intended for senior citizens in 2015.

According to Gordon, the funds were intended for PhilHealth premiums for senior citizens but were allegedly diverted to a project not prioritized by the government, constituting technical malversation.

Garin and Abad questioned the timing of the report's release, calling the accusations "baseless" and "maliciously timed," as the probe was conducted over a year ago.

The report further alleged that the P10.6 billion was used for uncompleted projects for political campaign purposes, which hindered PhilHealth's financial growth.