Dokumento ang kalaban: Lacson says PhilHealth chief Morales may have nowhere else to go but out

Unless he can mount a credible defense, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and CEO Ricardo Morales may have no other choice but to resign over the mismanagement and corruption issues hounding the agency.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said this Sunday as he pointed out Morales also faces a credibility problem after his claim that he was not at a recent Zoom meeting of PhilHealth officials was refuted.

“Unless ma-refute niya ito credibly, itong mga allegation dito na sabi ko nga may documents, walang ibang mapuntahan kundi mag-resign, kung totoo lahat itong allegation. And so far at face value sasabihin ko totoo ito kasi supported ito by documents,” Lacson said in an interview on DZBB and GMA News TV.

“Pero kung ma-refute niya ito sa pamamagitan ng dokumento o issuances na official din at mabe-break niya ang credibility nitong documents na hawak namin sa ngayon, pwedeng sabihin natin na naninira lang ang itong mga tao,” he added.

Morales initially belied there is corruption in PhilHealth as claimed by Thorrsson Keith, who resigned over corruption issues following the Zoom meeting marred by a shouting match.

He also claimed Keith was disgruntled because he failed to get a post he was applying for.

But Lacson said Morales faces challenges to his credibility after he claimed he was not at the Zoom meeting – and was refuted by others who attended the meeting, including presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr.

“Kung harap-harapan tanungin ka at media ang kausap mo, alam mo pag media kausap mo at nagkamali ka ng sagot whether intentional o unintentional, parang toothpaste yan na lumabas sa tube, di mo na mapapasok yan. Kasi public yan eh,” Lacson said.

“Let the document speak for itself. Between his word and the official documents ng PhilHealth, ano ang papaniwalaan natin? Yan ang malaking problema. Kung sa umpisa pa lang meron ka nang credibility problem dahil nagsinungaling ka sa napakasimpleng bagay napakasimpleng interview, ang malalaking bagay na sasabihin mong walang corruption lumalabas ngayon at nababasa nyo sa aming ifa-file na resolution bukas napakaliwanang ng mga allegation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lacson said they have yet to determine if Health Secretary Francisco Duque III will also have liability, as ex-officio chairman of PhilHealth.

“Hindi pa natin alam, gusto natin malaman ano level ng authority. Ayon sa documents na nakuha natin in-authorize nila ang regional directors nila na mag-attend sa pag-release ng pondo. Ginawa na nila yan sa ano kaya may regional directors na naimbestigahan noon eh. Pero kung ganoon na di mo na mapagkatiwalaan pag-handle ng pera ang mga regional directors, di ba dapat may safety net man lang?” he said.

Still, he said higher officials like Morales should have put in place safety nets to protect public funds handled by PhilHealth.

“Maski may binigyan kang authority dapat leading the president and CEO of PhilHealth, si Gen Morales, dapat meron siyang safety net, may mechanisms siya para may check and balance. Kung lahat naman dadaan sa president and CEO baka maantala ang ayuda e nasa COVID crisis na nga tayo. Pero dapat hindi mawala ang ano kasi pera yan eh,” he said.

On the other hand, Lacson reiterated the matter of resignation is out of the Senate’s hands, noting the Senate called for Duque’s resignation earlier this year but he has so far refused.

“Very limited magagawa namin, to come out with facts supported by documents. And bahala na kasi hindi kami nag-e-execute. Kami in aid of legislation or inquiry para malaman nyo na rin in the exercise of our oversight functions malaman ng publiko through media kung ano mga kalokohang nangyayari para ma-guide ang Pangulo kung ano ang dapat niyang gawin. Pero at the end of the day Pangulo pa rin ang magde-decide kung tatanggalin niya o hindi,” he said.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)