MANILA – There was a “systemic flaw” found at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) revealed.
This discovery, according to PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica, came after a series of investigations on PhilHealth’s alleged overpricing of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test kits since last May
“There’s really a systemic flaw sa sistema ng PhilHealth kaya napakahirap. Parang paulit-ulit, hindi matigil ang corruption,” Belgica said in a virtual press conference.
The report to be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Belgica added, is partial of “further investigation” is needed after the PACC uncovered loopholes and identified PhilHealth officials who are “vulnerable for these kinds of corruption.”
“Hindi kino-correct ang systems ng pag-report nila. Kaya withdrawal lang ng withdrawal ang mga – whether it is hospitals or patients na manloloko sa PhilHealth. Tapos ang PhilHealth parang bulag… talagang nabulag na sila,” Belgica said.
Belgica added that the said scheme may have gone unresolved because PhilHealth officials also profit from them.
The Senate is also set to investigate PhilHealth this week, after allegations of corruption, incompetence and inefficiency supposedly led to the controversial resignation of anti-fraud legal officer Thorsson Montes Keith two weeks ago.
After the incident, President Duterte has ordered Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain from the Special Assistant to the President’s office to launch another probe on the issues hounding PhilHealth.
