Sens file resolutions for PhilHealth corruption probe

Senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Vicente Sotto III, and Panfilo Lacson have filed separate resolutions calling for a Senate inquiry into alleged widespread corruption, incompetence, and inefficiency within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Senate Resolution 474, filed by Pangilinan, specifically calls for an investigation into allegations of PhilHealth releasing multi-million peso funds to unaccredited hospitals with few COVID-19 patients and its "overpriced" COVID-19 testing package.

The probes will also examine alleged P154 billion fund losses due to fraud, including the "ghost dialysis" issue, and questionable planned procurement of IT equipment worth P734 million.

The Senate Committee of the Whole will investigate irregularities in the implementation of PhilHealth's Interim Reimbursement Mechanism.

The call for investigations was spurred by the resignation of PhilHealth anti-fraud officer Thorrsson Montes Keith, who cited widespread corruption and irregularities within the agency.

The Senate is aiming to start its investigation on alleged anomalies within PhilHealth by next week, with the goal of strengthening the National Health Insurance Act against corruption.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III hopes the Senate probe would lead to the indictment of erring PhilHealth officials.