(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte has said he would go after the corrupt in PhilHealth.
The President issued the warning as the Senate and the House of Representatives continue their hearings on allegations of corruption in the state insurer.
Other government agencies are conducting parallel probes into the allegations made by Thorrsson Montes Keith, with the Department of Justice creating a task force for that purpose upon the orders of President Duterte.
“Huwag kayong magkakamali. Itong PhilHealth, sabi ko: Yayariin ko kayo. Maniwala kayo,” the President said in a taped address aired on national television late Monday night.
He said those who were innocent on the other hand had nothing to fear.
“Tahimik lang kayo at continue working,” he added.
Keith, who resigned as PhilHealth’s anti-fraud officer in July, had alleged “widespread corruption” in the agency.
He alleged, among others, that a “mafia” had pocketed P15 billion in funds, and that PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales had asked him to straighten out the issue stemming from the alleged overprice of COVID-19 testing kits with the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
PhilHealth has denied the corruption allegations against its senior officials, while Morales has yet to answer Keith’s recent claims.
He has said, however, that Keith was merely a disgruntled employee who was rejected for a promotion.
Morales, who has been diagnosed with lymphoma and needs to undergo chemotherapy according to a medical certificate submitted to the Office of the Senate President, has filed a medical leave.