(Eagle News) — Six Philippine Health Insurance Corporation regional officers have filed their leaves amid the ongoing probes into alleged corruption in the state insurer.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the six, however, were not the “mafia” mentioned by Senator Panfilo Lacson who he said controls PhilHealth’s multi-billion peso operations.
The PhilHealth officials, who were identified as regional vice presidents Paolo Johann Perez (Mimaropa), Valerie Anne Hollero (Western Visayas), Datu Masiding Alonto Jr. (Northern Mindanao), Khaliquzzman Macabato (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), Dennis Adre and William Chavez in media reports, were in fact referred to as “heroes” by PhilHealth board member Alejandro Cabading during a Senate hearing, Roque said.
“They chose to go on leave and heeded the call of the Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra for those whose names are mentioned in the investigation to go on leave,” Roque explained.
Roque urged the officers who are under probe, particularly the members of the PhilHealth executive committee who have been named in both the Senate and House of Representatives investigations, to “follow their actions and go on leave” in compliance with Guevarra’s call.
“We consider this as the right and proper thing to do,” he added.
The corruption allegations were made by Thorrsson Montes Keith, PhilHealth anti-fraud officer who resigned in July.